Thus wonderful old building was once the grand Hotel de Russie. It was designed by Giuseppe Pardini.
Now the building has 6 apartments. I love the balconies on the front.
Then and now…Hotel de Russie
17
Tag Archives: Giuseppe Pardini
My favourite building in Ponte a Serraglio
We almost bought an apartment in this gorgeous building designed by Lucchese architect Giuseppe Pardini. The building was constructed in 1838 and once housed the prestigious Hotel de Russie.
The building has a colourful history. In 1904 – 1905 English writer Louise de la Ramee, better known as Ouida, stayed in the hotel. She is now buried in the English cemetery nearby. Click here to see more on the cemetery.
During WWII the building was occupied by the German army. There is a plaque on the wall beside the street to commemorate the 13 patriots who were imprisoned inside.
There are now 6 apartments here. I particularly love the balcony at the front of the building. The middle one was almost ours.
I would love to see the building renovated …….. but not too much.
Bagni di Lucca has the first casino in Europe
The Royal Casino in Ponte a Serraglio was the first public casino in Europe. Gambling was already popular in the area and people would gather in one of the buildings in Bagni Caldi, which now houses the thermal baths, until Carlo Lodovico di Borbone commissioned Giuseppe Pardini to build the casino in 1837.
the casino today
The interior of the building is beautiful and was lovingly restored recently, bringing back to life the walls decorated with the gilded lilies on a blue background, similar to the Florentine iris. The original ornate crystal chandeliers are still there along with some of the original furnishings.
the beautiful ceiling and the original chandeliers
the Florentine lily
2 French gentlemen, Adrien Mathis and Edouard Ginnestet were allowed the management of the gambling. European aristocracy gambled fortunes at “biribosso”, a game of chance using numbered counters, said to be the beginnings of roulette. Several early gambling games were originally played here in Bagni di Lucca. The profits from the casino helped with the management of the spas in the area.
It must have been a fun place to be, with poetry, plays and concerts performed by the famous musicians of the day, including Franz Liszt.
where the musicians used to perform
The casino closed after WWII, but reopened in 2005 after the renovations, which took 2 years. It was used for a time as the information centre and is now available for exhibitions and private functions.
the restaurant
beautiful walls in the restaurant
the well stocked bar
I love the details on the walls and ceilings. I was here when the restoration work was being done and the patient workers would occasionally let me watch them at work. It inspired me to paint my walls at home. I wish they looked as good as the ones at the casino.
decoration on the walls
detail on the ceiling
decoration on the ceiling
the interior took 2 years to restore
The casino is in Ponte a Serraglio, Via del Casino 66/68. There is parking space at Villa Fiori across the river and you can walk to the casino via the passerella (walking bridge).
Bella Bagni di Lucca 