Tucked away in Barrio Norte, Buenos Aires is a beautiful shop that every bookworm would love to visit, called El Ateneo Grand Splendid. It is built within the almost 100-year-old Grand Splendid Theater, which opened in 1919. The premises were later converted into a movie theater and eventually, in 2000, it was transformed into the El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore, which currently welcomes over one million book lovers each year.
The stunning building was initially designed by architects Peró and Torres Armengol, then later converted from an old movie theater into a bookshop by architect Fernando Manzone, who retained many parts of the theatre, including the stage, the balconies, the interior design details and even the red curtains. In 2008 El Ateneo Grand Splendid was named the second most beautiful bookshop in the world by The Guardian, and that’s no surprise considering its elaborate décor and classic 1920’s theater feel.
More info: El Ateneo Grand Splendid (h/t: twistedsifter)
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Share on FacebookSpectacular! In these days when everything is so disposable, it is refreshing to see such a valuable building turned into something that many generations may enjoy for many years to come.
What an awesome idea - making use of an old classic space! Love it.
I've been here! It's absolutely gorgeous. They also have a little café on the former stage!
So now of course, I'm wondering which was the Most beautiful book shop in the world, if this one only came second! I'd love to work here
I visited it recently and I can confirm it's stunning!!! Not many choices in English though, but still a masterpiece!
Gee, and I was even in Buenos Aires, and never knew about this! What a shame. I'd have liked it infinitely more than Juan and Evita's grave, which to this day is festooned with flowers. If more people there would go read at the bookstore, perhaps they wouldn't be so quick to add flowers to the Peron's resting place.
I'm from Buenos Aires, and I have been into that place. I have mixed feelings about that place. Although it is in fact a really beautiful bookstore, I must say that I'd like that the Grand Splendid didn't have to close and that it were still a theater / concert hall. That is a sad fact of Buenos Aires, several historic or modern relevant buildings have been razed down to put a crappy store instead (mostly of foreign chains). But at least the new owners have been careful to keep and adapt that beatuiful old building instead of demolish it.
The 4th photo doesn't belong to this bookstore. I visit it very often.
This was done in Toronto Ontario... Until it was turned into a drug store from a book store :(
It makes me think of the library in Disney's Beauty and the Beast...... Always loved this part of the film :)
What can I tell you? I hated it. As I was sipping from a cup of coffe on what was formerly it's stage, I had a wonderful view of the stalls, the boxess, and couldn't help but thinking to myself: this should be a beautiful, fully operational, much needed theater. Books can be sold anywhere... in a bookstore, for instance, whereas historical stages are scarse. Well, I guess I should be thankful that they didn't make it into a disco, some game arcade or simply torn it down, like so many traditional theaters.
Spectacular! In these days when everything is so disposable, it is refreshing to see such a valuable building turned into something that many generations may enjoy for many years to come.
What an awesome idea - making use of an old classic space! Love it.
I've been here! It's absolutely gorgeous. They also have a little café on the former stage!
So now of course, I'm wondering which was the Most beautiful book shop in the world, if this one only came second! I'd love to work here
I visited it recently and I can confirm it's stunning!!! Not many choices in English though, but still a masterpiece!
Gee, and I was even in Buenos Aires, and never knew about this! What a shame. I'd have liked it infinitely more than Juan and Evita's grave, which to this day is festooned with flowers. If more people there would go read at the bookstore, perhaps they wouldn't be so quick to add flowers to the Peron's resting place.
I'm from Buenos Aires, and I have been into that place. I have mixed feelings about that place. Although it is in fact a really beautiful bookstore, I must say that I'd like that the Grand Splendid didn't have to close and that it were still a theater / concert hall. That is a sad fact of Buenos Aires, several historic or modern relevant buildings have been razed down to put a crappy store instead (mostly of foreign chains). But at least the new owners have been careful to keep and adapt that beatuiful old building instead of demolish it.
The 4th photo doesn't belong to this bookstore. I visit it very often.
This was done in Toronto Ontario... Until it was turned into a drug store from a book store :(
It makes me think of the library in Disney's Beauty and the Beast...... Always loved this part of the film :)
What can I tell you? I hated it. As I was sipping from a cup of coffe on what was formerly it's stage, I had a wonderful view of the stalls, the boxess, and couldn't help but thinking to myself: this should be a beautiful, fully operational, much needed theater. Books can be sold anywhere... in a bookstore, for instance, whereas historical stages are scarse. Well, I guess I should be thankful that they didn't make it into a disco, some game arcade or simply torn it down, like so many traditional theaters.
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