Our Story
We are Spaniards, Spanish-speakers, lovers of Spanish culture, New Yorkers.
Inside a multi-functional brownstone at the crossroads of Greenwich Village, Chelsea, and the Meatpacking District, and just outside of Brooklyn, visitors discover the oldest cultural center in the city with a passion for Spain. Hosting live events, classes, authentic cuisine, art, music, and more, our not-for-profit organization supports the expression and promotion of a culturally diverse Spain. The Society is a final remnant of the once-thriving enclave known as “Little Spain” and our members seek to reinvigorate “Pequeña España” for the eclectic audiences we serve today. We take great pride in opening our doors to everyone: Spanish-speakers, hispanophiles, and New Yorkers from every borough.
Since our founding in 1868 La Nacional has been the cultural, spiritual and charitable center for Spanish-speakers in New York. Spaniards of all kinds, including tourists, artisans, professionals and many others have benefited from our corner of Spain. It has served as a meeting ground for political dissidents and revolutionaries, avant-garde poets and artists – among them the groundbreaking director Luis Buñuel and the modernist poet Federico García Lorca, who wrote sections of his famous anthology “Poet in New York” during his stay at the Society.
In those early years, we provided Spaniards with food, shelter, healthcare and afterlife services, while functioning as a home away from home. While the needs of our members have changed greatly since that time, the Spanish Benevolent Society still remains committed to assisting those who come from Spain and Latin America to navigate the urban landscape of New York City.
New York City is our home and 14th street is our neighborhood. We are committed to its needs and are excited to announce that after several decades of renting out the restaurant space on the ground floor, the Society is designing our own community restaurant and gathering place. Our non-profit will be teaming up with some of the top culinary institutes in Spain – sponsoring the visas of the country’s best young chefs to create in our kitchen.
