The most famous bookstore in Argentina witnessed the Argentine capital’s transition to modernity, not only retaining its charm, but also becoming a must-see icon along the way
Meet the most famous bookstore in Argentina
The City of Buenos Aires conjures many monuments and places in the collective imagination, such as the renowned Caminito de la Boca, with its narrow streets and colorful buildings, or El Obelisco, imposing its presence in the heart of Microcentro, surrounded by hundreds of cars and people. But there is one unique, almost magical place which, for many years now, has been a major part of Buenos Aires’ identity: the Ateneo Grand Splendid, the most famous bookstore in Argentina.
What are the elements which make it unique?
An historical building
Built in 1917 and inaugurated in 1919, the Grand Splendid building stands out on Avenida Santa Fe, with imposing white columns that frame its majestic entrance and distinctive glass canopy. It was built by architects Pizoney and Falcope under the command of the Austrian businessman Mordechai David Glücksman, initially to function as a theater and, from 1923 to 1930, the home of the Splendid radio station.
Its design stands out for being eclectic – a type of architecture of French origin, harmoniously blending different periods and styles in the history of architecture and art, and achieving something innovative and unique as a result.
The “Grand Splendid” recording rooms housed iconic Argentine tango figures such as Carlos Gardel, debuting on October 1, 1929, and Roberto Firpo. At the end of the 1920s, the theater reacted to worldwide changes by adding movie screens, showing what would be the first talkies to be presented in Argentina.
Incredible beauty
Later, a record company called El Nacional Odeón operated in this incredible building, until finally in 1964 it became a theater again. For years various cultural activities took place there, until it finally closed its doors permanently in 1973.
The new century brought a new opportunity for the emblematic building, acquired in 2000 by the bookstore chain “El Ateneo y Yenny libreros”. The company invested 3 million pesos in its renovation, turning it into not only the most beautiful bookstore in Argentina, but also one of the most comprehensive, selling books, CDs, DVDs and records.
It is currently considered the most famous bookstore in Argentina. Its interior holds 3 floors full of shelves and a basement dedicated exclusively to children’s literature, with places for people to read. On the former stage, a café offers a relaxed atmosphere, with soft lighting and live piano music, allowing visitors to enjoy the incredible space and atmosphere of this magical Buenos Aires location.
Upon entering, the bookstore dazzles not only with its opulent beauty, from the golden decorations of the boxes to the dome hand-painted by the Italian artist Nazareno Orlandi so many years ago, but also with the aura of history, as books and calm invade the senses.
Cultural activities
Starting with the night of the bookstores, in which all the bookstores of the City of Buenos Aires remain open until late at night, to talks by renowned writers and book presentations, the Ateneo Grand Splendid is, above all, a place in which culture is all-pervasive. Illustrious visits are common: Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, Giuseppe Conte from Italy, Nobel Prize winner José Saramago, author Mario Vargas Llosa, and the Spanish writer Rosa Montero are just some of the personalities who have been dazzled by this jewel of Buenos Aires.
Who says it is the most beautiful bookstore in Argentina?
The safest answer would be “everyone who visits it”, but the beauty of this unique place is endorsed by renowned experts: National Geographic, in the words of journalist Brian Clark Howard, describes it as “The most beautiful bookstore in the world“, highlighting “a soft lighting, with details that show the best of the crafts of the early twentieth century”. British newspaper The Guardian placed it second in terms of its beauty, after the Boekhandel Selexyc Dominicanen in Maastricht, Holland – surpassing the renowned Lello Bookstore in Porto, Portugal.
Unique, magical, majestic: this is the El Ateneo bookstore in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the place where magic is made in the opening of a book.
