The largest of Belgium's ten casinos, it is known for its permanent large-scale artworks by
Keith Haring,
René Magritte, and
Paul Delvaux. It is the first of four casinos, in different Belgian towns, designed by Belgian architect
Léon Stynen. The architectural style is said to have been influenced by
Le Corbusier, along with
Art Deco and the designer's
Beaux-Arts training. The late-1920s building was severely damaged during the Second World War. A subsequent renovation allowed surrealist master Magritte to create a giant 360° mural, finished in 1953, comprising eight panels called
The Enchanted Domain. Delvaux's
Le Voyage Légendaire (1974), measuring , was originally installed at the Casino de Chaudfontaine, and later moved to the Knokke Casino. It shows a surreal outdoors panorama, depicting "the cave, the thick forest, the naked or dressed girls, the trains and tracks meticulously illustrated in the small station, the lights and electricity poles, the moon, the mailbox". The (chandelier room) contains a 6-ton chandelier made of Venetian crystal. The chandelier has a diameter of and is high. Some 22,000 pieces of glass were used and 2,700 lamps light up the main hall. It was planned by architect J. Selis, designer Al David and created by the Murano glass factory "Fratelli Ferro". Former members of the Casino's orchestra include, in the 1930s,
composer and
violist,
Jef Maes. In 2022, a project began to renovate the casino after a prior attempt to fully replace it failed. Design firms were invited to submit applications and five front-runners were selected in 2023. A coalition of three firms was selected to present a final design, which was presented in December 2023. The renovation is expected to be completed between 2030 and 2032. == History ==