Mexico is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful countries that we are going to visit in Latin America and the world. As part of its policy on tourism, the government launched the Pueblos Mágicos program , one that seeks to recover the Mexican tradition and show the best of ourselves.
The Magic Towns program was created on October 5, 2001 by the Ministry of Tourism, in order to promote cultural wealth and have various services that attract tourists, in addition to generating products such as handicrafts, festivities and traditions.
It is not uncommon for them to be historic places that make visitors fall in love, as is the case with Linares , one of the more than 200 Magic Towns in Mexico, located in Nuevo León, 130 kilometers from Monterrey , the third largest city in the country.
Known throughout the country for its cow and goat milk sweets, such as the popular and delicious Glorias de Linares, the city is home to the Villaseca fair, it is a meeting point for the springs of Las Crucitas and Cerro Prieto, where you can go camping, fishing and water skiing.
But of all the tourist wonders that Linares keeps inside and outside its domains, there is a very special one that stands out and that will even seem interesting to those who enjoy history, especially that related to the world of casinos and casino games. random .
In fact, it is curious that one of its main attractions is precisely an old casino: the Casino de Linares. This building is, in relevance, the fourth most important in the city, behind only the Municipal Palace, the Cathedral and the Parish of the Sacred Heart.
Right in the center of this Magical Town, where you can breathe tranquility and Mexicanness, is the Casino de Linares, a building inspired by a clear French colonial style, with a pistachio green facade and white details, which at times make you feel in another city like Merida or New Orleans, known for their architecture.
In fact, it is said that the Paris Opera House was the main source of inspiration for this complex, since as is well known, French architecture greatly influenced Mexico between the late nineteenth and first quarter of the twentieth century.
Its first steps were taken in 1892, when the Linares Recreational Society emerged and two years later, the engineer Andrés Noriega was elected its president, who decided to change the name to Casino de Linares.
By 1897, the society acquired land to build its casino, but the planning took a long time. The truth is that all the wait was worth it.
It was on May 15, 1927 when the first stone of this casino was laid, which gradually was built until it became the pride it is today, with white ornaments and an imposing image that continues to be the pride of the New Leonese who live in such a picturesque town.
Well they say that you cannot presume that you visited Linares if you did not take a walk in front of this casino, which has won with its own pulse the affection of locals and strangers , in addition to becoming unanimously one of the symbols of this beautiful city in increase.
It originally emerged as a place of recreation for the inhabitants of Linares, obtaining in the first instance a billiards permit and eventually becoming a recreational center for card games , well known in the region.
But, as we have seen throughout these months in other old casinos in the country, the Casino de Linares was not exclusively for games, as dances, parties and exclusive banquets were also organized for the high society of Linares.
Times evolved and the casino kept its beauty almost intact, largely due to the excellent maintenance work it had over the years. Unlike other casinos such as San Rafael in the State of Mexico or the German Casino in Mexico City, the one in Linares remained majestic.
Decades passed in the country, with the stabilizing development and the Mexican miracle, as well as contemporary Mexico, but the casino seemed that it did not age a bit, remaining beautiful.
Today, the casino still functions as a center for social events and receptions, although you need to be a member of this club to enter its facilities. Either way, the Casino de Linares has become an icon of the city and visiting it to take pictures has become a must for anyone who comes to Nuevo León.
