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Situated on Santa Fe Avenue in Barrio Norte, the building was designed by architects Peró and Torres Armengol for impresario Max Glücksmann (1875-1946), and opened as a theatre called Teatro Gran Splendid in May 1919.
Jan 12, 2019 · National Geographic has named El Ateneo Grand Splendid the top shop in the world. But that's only where the history of the 100-year-old Buenos Aires building, once a palatial theater,...
- Bob Mondello
- Overview
- Related: 14 epic libraries around the world
- For the little ones
- Limited English section
- Best spots for selfies
- When to visit
Inside a converted theater, travelers discover a temple of books.
On a bustling commercial street in the fashionable Recoleta neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, you can visit a serene temple of books. The lighting is soft, with accents that showcase the best in early 20th-century craftsmanship. Conversations are hushed, as if in a grand library, yet the space is so warm and welcoming that the raised café at the back of the cavernous room is filled with patrons reading and sipping cappuccinos and chocolate submarinos.
You’ve entered the Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore, which blogs and guidebooks often dub “the world’s most beautiful bookstore.” They may not be wrong. The sprawling shop is housed in a beautifully preserved antique theater. Only instead of tango dancers and singers, the stars are now the printed word. [Our editors recommend the best travel books to read now.]
The building opened as a theater in 1919, when Buenos Aires was booming as a major port and center of commerce. A flood of recent immigrants, particularly from Europe, helped fuel a rich cultural and arts scene, including the birth of tango. Like the surrounding blocks and the city itself, the theater brims with both old world flourishes—such as the gorgeous frescoes on the soaring ceiling—and Latin flair, such as the friendly staff, great coffee, and relaxed pace.
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Ninth-century illuminated manuscripts and the earliest known architectural plan drawn on parchment are just some of the literary treasures at the resplendent 1,200-year-old Baroque-style Convent of St Gall in Switzerland .
Ninth-century illuminated manuscripts and the earliest known architectural plan drawn on parchment are just some of the literary treasures at the resplendent 1,200-year-old Baroque-style Convent of St Gall in Switzerland.
Photograph by Heeb/laif/Redux
Ateneo Grand Splendid opened in the space at the start of the 2000s. It offers up thousands of books, CDs, DVDs, and more to the more than one million people who drop in a year. Travelers find a wonderful experience browsing the colorful shelves arranged artfully in the former orchestra and mezzanine sections. Former luxury boxes offer quiet nooks, with stunning views, to peruse a book or take it all in. The café is actually set on the theater’s former stage, so you can imagine your name in lights as you tuck into a pastry. [Discover the best things to see in Buenos Aires.]
Ateneo Grand Splendid has a wonderful and lively kids’ section in the heart of the building, where youngsters excitedly flip through the latest titles. Anglophones beware: Spanish offerings only.
For adults, the store does have a small shelf of titles in English at the front, but the offerings are slim, mostly romance novels and drugstore thrillers. A few of the large format photo books are available in English.
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The store is so gorgeous that many people stop in just for a look, including tourists. And the staff seems completely comfortable with that. Head to the stunning view from the top balcony, particularly a little off-center to either side. That allows travelers to avoid the small line of people taking selfies at dead center. Shooting from the stage c...
The stage café can get busy, so if you want to avoid waiting for a seat, come at an off time, particularly during the week. January and February are the most popular months to visit Buenos Aires, followed by October (remember the seasons are opposite those of the Northern Hemisphere). June tends to be the least busy month. Regardless of when you go, Ateneo Grand Splendid is more than a bookstore. It’s a piece of history breathing new life.
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Part bookstore, part hostel, this just might be the best place to catch some rest in the world’s largest city.
Located in the Recoleta neighbourhood, El Grand Spendid theatre opened in 1919 and immediately became a beacon of porteño culture, hosting ballet, opera, and the first "talkies" shown in Buenos Aires. The national Odeon record label - now owned by EMI - was based here, and singers such as Carlos Gardel recorded on the premises.
The Founding of Radio Splendid. Max Glücksmann, a pioneer in Argentina’s phonographic and film industry, constructed the 2000 sq. meter theater in 1919. The Jewish-Austrian immigrant arrived in Buenos Aires as a young man in 1890.
Feb 7, 2011 · 1169. With each incarnation since its inception in 1919—first as a performing arts theater, then as a cinema, and now a bookstore—the Grand Splendid has proven itself befitting of its majestic...
Feb 12, 2024 · El Ateneo: History Unveiled: Originally built as the Teatro Grand Splendid in 1919, the theater was designed by architects Pero and Torres Armengol. It showcased glamorous performances and was a cultural hub for the city’s elite. In 1929, it underwent a transformation into a cinema, witnessing the golden age of Argentine cinema.
