Café Novelty
Encyclopedia
The Café Novelty is the oldest café
in the city
of Salamanca
(Spain
), which was founded in 1905 and is situated in the main square
of the city, Plaza Mayor de Salamanca
. Its first owners were the García brothers. From the beginning of the Spanish Civil War
to 1964 it was named Café Nacional. It was 4 times bigger than it is nowadays and it very soon became a favorite meeting place for writer
s, artist
s and politician
s, due to its privileged position in the city.
The most outstanding patrons of the Café Novelty are Miguel de Unamuno
, the spanish philosopher that organized the literary social gathering (tertulia), Ortega y Gasset, Antonio Tovar, Juan Benet
, Pedro Laín Entralgo
, Francisco Umbral
, Carmen Martín Gaite
, Gonzalo Torrente Ballester
and Víctor García de la Concha.
At its tables, in 1923, Dionisio Ridruejo
decided to found the Football Club of Salamanca
, and also the Spanish National Radio
, between 1936 and 1937.
From 1999, with the help of the members of the cultural society of Salamanca, a magazine
of the café, “Los papeles del Novelty”, has been published.
tables, a restaurant
, and a dance pavilion with colored atrium
.
One enters the salons of the Café through a revolving brass door that exemplifies the chic detail of the interior.
To the right of the entrance usually united merchant
s, stock-breeders, manufacturers and rightists participate in the daily tertulia
, and to the left, liberal
s, medic
s, lawyer
s and professor
s of the university etc. take seat.
In the round salon with glass colored ceiling once played an orchestra and there were organized many luxurious weddings, and visitors liked to dance there.
At the table of Café Novelty, in 1923, was signed the resolution of foundation of Football Club of Salamanca
.
Up until the Spanish civil war
Café Novelty had a luxury, splendid life and proof of the special role of the Café at that time was an incognito dinner organized for the Spanish king, Alfonso XIII.
During the Spanish Civil war the clientele of Café were divided, as was the country.
Some people such as Gil Robles were in exile, others such as Maurin
were executed by shooting.
Miguel de Unamuno
, who used to visit the terrace of Café, took shelter in street of Bordadores and died some months later.
But the main contingent of visitors rose in joining the “band” of General Franco, as did the rest of the city
The intellectual section of this “band” was often made the centre of promotion and publication in Café Novelty after the new government was placed in Salamanca. The name was changed to Café National until 1964. Laín Entralgo, Dionisio Ridruejo
, Agustín de Foxá founded the Spanish National Radio
between 1936 and 1937 in the tables of the Café.
From 1950s
During some years in the fifties-sixties, the owner of Café was D. Aureliano, an elegant merchant that had suspicious business in Tanger. He sold the Café to D. Agustin Dominguez, the grandfather of the present owners.
During the epoch of decadence in 1963 the restaurant was closed and the famous wine
depository (bodega) was shut down.
In 1964 the son of Agustin Francisco began to manage the cafe, renovated it in the style of the epoch and gave back the original name, which has not changed since.
These changes were welcomed with warmth by society.
In the beginning of the 70s it was repaired again and decorated with corner sofas. The Café turned into a centre of political secrecy, often opposed to the ideology of Franco, and in its remote salons were held reunions to write manifestos and to hide duplicating machines. In 1978 the city hall of Salamanca, which was the owner of the real estate, proposed the necessity of confiscation of certain premises, and after the trial on April 1st, the Cafй was closed. But after difficult negotiations and the gift of a one-third part of the building to the city hall (which was used for its offices) the Cafe was once again open in 1979 and redecorated by Salvador Yáñez.
From the 1980s
From the 80s until now it recovered its bygone splendor as has the University of Salamanca
and the city. The 25 years that Gonzalo Torrente Ballester
enjoyed in the city and frequenting the cafe, helped to return the real position of Café Novelty to a position of meaningful influence in the cultural life. The trace of the writer in Café was so significant that in 2000 one monument was inaugurated in memory of the Spanish professor and author. It is a statue sited in his favorite corner of Café made by one friend of the writer' sculptor Fernando Mayoral. At the present time it has privileged position in the city and still is being the favorite place of meeting of artists, writers, politicians and businessmen. One of the frequenters is the president of the Royal Spanish Academy Victor Garcia de la Concha, the basque
writer Juan Manuel de Prada, the mexican
author Jorge Volpy and the poet
Paco Novelty.
Coffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
in the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of Salamanca
Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
), which was founded in 1905 and is situated in the main square
Town square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
of the city, Plaza Mayor de Salamanca
Plaza Mayor, Salamanca
The Plaza Mayor in Salamanca, Spain is a large plaza located in the center of Salamanca, used as a public square. It was built in the traditional Spanish baroque style and is a popular gathering area. It is lined by restaurants, ice cream parlors, tourist shops, jewelry stores and a pharmacy along...
. Its first owners were the García brothers. From the beginning of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
to 1964 it was named Café Nacional. It was 4 times bigger than it is nowadays and it very soon became a favorite meeting place for writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
s, artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
s and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s, due to its privileged position in the city.
The most outstanding patrons of the Café Novelty are Miguel de Unamuno
Miguel de Unamuno
Miguel de Unamuno y Jugo was a Spanish essayist, novelist, poet, playwright and philosopher.-Biography:...
, the spanish philosopher that organized the literary social gathering (tertulia), Ortega y Gasset, Antonio Tovar, Juan Benet
Juan Benet
-Early life:Benet was born in Madrid. At the start of the Spanish Civil War, his father died, and he left for San Sebastian with his family to find refuge. They stayed there until 1939, when they returned to the capital. In 1944, he completed his high school education and in 1948 he entered into...
, Pedro Laín Entralgo
Pedro Laín Entralgo
Pedro Laín Entralgo was a Spanish medical researcher. He won the Prince of Asturias award in 1989 for Communication and Humanities.In 1964 he entered the Royal Academy of History...
, Francisco Umbral
Francisco Umbral
Francisco Umbral was a Spanish journalist, novelist, biographer and essayist.-Style:...
, Carmen Martín Gaite
Carmen Martín Gaite
Carmen Martín Gaite was an award winning Spanish author. She wrote in many genres, including novels, short stories, and essays...
, Gonzalo Torrente Ballester
Gonzalo Torrente Ballester
Gonzalo Torrente Ballester was a Spanish Galician writer in Spanish language. He was born in Serantes, Ferrol, Galicia, and received his first education there, subsequently attending the universities of Santiago de Compostela and Oviedo.Although primarily a novelist, he also published journalism,...
and Víctor García de la Concha.
At its tables, in 1923, Dionisio Ridruejo
Dionisio Ridruejo
Dionisio Ridruejo Jiménez was a Spanish poet and political figure within the Falange...
decided to found the Football Club of Salamanca
UD Salamanca
Unión Deportiva Salamanca, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Salamanca, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. Founded on 16 March 1923, it currently plays in Segunda División B – Group 2....
, and also the Spanish National Radio
Radio Nacional de España
is Spain's national public radio service. Since 1973 it has formed, together with , a part of , the corporation responsible for managing national public-service broadcasting in Spain.-Origins of RNE:...
, between 1936 and 1937.
From 1999, with the help of the members of the cultural society of Salamanca, a magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
of the café, “Los papeles del Novelty”, has been published.
History of Café
Its first owners were Vicente and Federico García Martín. The interior of the Café occupied a space 4 times bigger than it has today. It had billiardBilliard
-Games:* A , a type of shot in cue sports * Billiards: cue sports in general, including pool, carom billiards, snooker, etc.; the term "billiards" by itself is also sometimes used to refer to any of the following more specifically:...
tables, a restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
, and a dance pavilion with colored atrium
Atrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
.
One enters the salons of the Café through a revolving brass door that exemplifies the chic detail of the interior.
To the right of the entrance usually united merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
s, stock-breeders, manufacturers and rightists participate in the daily tertulia
Tertulia
A tertulia is a social gathering with literary or artistic overtones, especially in Iberia or Latin America. The word is originally Spanish, and has only moderate currency in English, in describing Latin cultural contexts....
, and to the left, liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
s, medic
Medic
Medic is a general term for a person involved in medicine, especially emergency or first-response medicine, such as an emergency medical technician, paramedic, or a military member trained in battlefield medicine. Also the term is used toward a Nurse in pre-hospital care and/or emergency...
s, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s and professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
s of the university etc. take seat.
In the round salon with glass colored ceiling once played an orchestra and there were organized many luxurious weddings, and visitors liked to dance there.
At the table of Café Novelty, in 1923, was signed the resolution of foundation of Football Club of Salamanca
UD Salamanca
Unión Deportiva Salamanca, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Salamanca, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. Founded on 16 March 1923, it currently plays in Segunda División B – Group 2....
.
Up until the Spanish civil war
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
Café Novelty had a luxury, splendid life and proof of the special role of the Café at that time was an incognito dinner organized for the Spanish king, Alfonso XIII.
During the Spanish Civil war the clientele of Café were divided, as was the country.
Some people such as Gil Robles were in exile, others such as Maurin
Maurin
Maurin is a surname, and may refer to:* Charles Maurin* Louis-Joseph Maurin* Peter Maurin* Rene Maurin...
were executed by shooting.
Miguel de Unamuno
Miguel de Unamuno
Miguel de Unamuno y Jugo was a Spanish essayist, novelist, poet, playwright and philosopher.-Biography:...
, who used to visit the terrace of Café, took shelter in street of Bordadores and died some months later.
But the main contingent of visitors rose in joining the “band” of General Franco, as did the rest of the city
The intellectual section of this “band” was often made the centre of promotion and publication in Café Novelty after the new government was placed in Salamanca. The name was changed to Café National until 1964. Laín Entralgo, Dionisio Ridruejo
Dionisio Ridruejo
Dionisio Ridruejo Jiménez was a Spanish poet and political figure within the Falange...
, Agustín de Foxá founded the Spanish National Radio
Radio Nacional de España
is Spain's national public radio service. Since 1973 it has formed, together with , a part of , the corporation responsible for managing national public-service broadcasting in Spain.-Origins of RNE:...
between 1936 and 1937 in the tables of the Café.
From 1950s1950sThe 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
till 1970s1970sFile:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
During some years in the fifties-sixties, the owner of Café was D. Aureliano, an elegant merchant that had suspicious business in Tanger. He sold the Café to D. Agustin Dominguez, the grandfather of the present owners.During the epoch of decadence in 1963 the restaurant was closed and the famous wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
depository (bodega) was shut down.
In 1964 the son of Agustin Francisco began to manage the cafe, renovated it in the style of the epoch and gave back the original name, which has not changed since.
These changes were welcomed with warmth by society.
In the beginning of the 70s it was repaired again and decorated with corner sofas. The Café turned into a centre of political secrecy, often opposed to the ideology of Franco, and in its remote salons were held reunions to write manifestos and to hide duplicating machines. In 1978 the city hall of Salamanca, which was the owner of the real estate, proposed the necessity of confiscation of certain premises, and after the trial on April 1st, the Cafй was closed. But after difficult negotiations and the gift of a one-third part of the building to the city hall (which was used for its offices) the Cafe was once again open in 1979 and redecorated by Salvador Yáñez.
From the 1980s1980sFile:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
From the 80s until now it recovered its bygone splendor as has the University of SalamancaUniversity of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
and the city. The 25 years that Gonzalo Torrente Ballester
Gonzalo Torrente Ballester
Gonzalo Torrente Ballester was a Spanish Galician writer in Spanish language. He was born in Serantes, Ferrol, Galicia, and received his first education there, subsequently attending the universities of Santiago de Compostela and Oviedo.Although primarily a novelist, he also published journalism,...
enjoyed in the city and frequenting the cafe, helped to return the real position of Café Novelty to a position of meaningful influence in the cultural life. The trace of the writer in Café was so significant that in 2000 one monument was inaugurated in memory of the Spanish professor and author. It is a statue sited in his favorite corner of Café made by one friend of the writer' sculptor Fernando Mayoral. At the present time it has privileged position in the city and still is being the favorite place of meeting of artists, writers, politicians and businessmen. One of the frequenters is the president of the Royal Spanish Academy Victor Garcia de la Concha, the basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
writer Juan Manuel de Prada, the mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
author Jorge Volpy and the poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
Paco Novelty.
Well-known visitors
Writers
- Juan MarséJuan MarséJuan Marsé is a Spanish novelist, journalist and screenwriter, born in Barcelona on January 8, 1933 as Juan Faneca Roca.His mother died in childbirth, and he was soon adopted by the Marsé family. At age 14 he started to publish some of his writings in Insula magazine and in a cinema magazine while...
, Cabrera Infante and Ortega y Gasset, that went separately to persuade Unamuno to create a party political. - Carmen Martín GaiteCarmen Martín GaiteCarmen Martín Gaite was an award winning Spanish author. She wrote in many genres, including novels, short stories, and essays...
- habitual visitor author. - Poets Angel GonzalezÁngel GonzálezÁngel González Muñiz was a major Spanish poet of the twentieth century.González was born in Oviedo. He took a law degree at the University of Oviedo and, in 1950, moved to Madrid to work in Civil Administration...
, Claudio Rodríguez o Antonio Colinas. - Gonzalo Torrente BallesterGonzalo Torrente BallesterGonzalo Torrente Ballester was a Spanish Galician writer in Spanish language. He was born in Serantes, Ferrol, Galicia, and received his first education there, subsequently attending the universities of Santiago de Compostela and Oviedo.Although primarily a novelist, he also published journalism,...
, Vargas LlosaVargas LlosaVargas Llosa is the surname of two prominent Peruvian intellectuals who are father and son.*Mario Vargas Llosa, born in 1936, is a novelist, journalist and essayist, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature 2010....
, Francisco UmbralFrancisco UmbralFrancisco Umbral was a Spanish journalist, novelist, biographer and essayist.-Style:...
, and Juan BenetJuan Benet-Early life:Benet was born in Madrid. At the start of the Spanish Civil War, his father died, and he left for San Sebastian with his family to find refuge. They stayed there until 1939, when they returned to the capital. In 1944, he completed his high school education and in 1948 he entered into...
.
Politics
- In the 50th it was given a banquet in honour of Francisco FrancoFrancisco FrancoFrancisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
when the University of SalamancaUniversity of SalamancaThe University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
awarded to him an honorary degree. - The president of the United States of America - Jimmy CarterJimmy CarterJames Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
. - The president of France - François MitterrandFrançois MitterrandFrançois Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
. - The president of the european commissionPresident of the European CommissionThe President of the European Commission is the head of the European Commission ― the executive branch of the :European Union ― the most powerful officeholder in the EU. The President is responsible for allocating portfolios to members of the Commission and can reshuffle or dismiss them if needed...
- Jacques DelorsJacques DelorsJacques Lucien Jean Delors is a French economist and politician, the eighth President of the European Commission and the first person to serve three terms in that office .-French Politics:...
. - Spanish politics: During the Spanish transition to democracy Santiago CarrilloSantiago CarrilloSantiago Carrillo Solares is a Spanish politician who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Spain from 1960 to 1982.- Childhood and early youth :...
organized political meeting to the city. The Prime Minister of SpainPrime Minister of SpainThe President of the Government of Spain , sometimes known in English as the Prime Minister of Spain, is the head of Government of Spain. The current office is established under the Constitution of 1978...
- José Luis Rodríguez ZapateroJosé Luis Rodríguez ZapateroJosé Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He was elected for two terms as Prime Minister of Spain, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections. On 2 April 2011 he announced he will not stand for re-election in 2012...
. Mariano RajoyMariano RajoyMariano Rajoy Brey is a Spanish People's Party politician and is the Prime Minister-elect since 20 November 2011. He will be sworn into office in mid-December 2011....
and Rodrigo RatoRodrigo RatoRodrigo de Rato y Figaredo is a Spanish political figure who served in the government of Spain as Minister of the Economy from 1996 to 2004; a member of the conservative People's Party , he was also First Deputy Prime Minister from 2003 to 2004...
.
Publications
- Grande del Brío, Ramón , Un día en el Café Novelty , Librería Cervantes (Salamanca).
- Jesús Formigo, Pedro Ladoire, Paco Novelty y Francisco Castaño. (1999), "Café Novelty", Ediciones Café Novelty.