Thing to do
Caminito
A 100-metre painted alley in La Boca, transformed by the artist Benito Quinquela Martín from a disused railway line into an open-air street museum.
El Ateneo Grand Splendid
A bookshop inside a 1919 theatre on Avenida Santa Fe, with the original boxes, a painted ceiling and a café set on the old stage.
At a glance
- Type
- Bookshop in a former theatre
- Area
- Barrio Norte, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Good to know
- Café on the former stage
- Original theatre boxes
- Three floors
Why we recommend it
El Ateneo Grand Splendid is a bookshop that people visit as much for the building as for the books. It occupies the former Teatro Gran Splendid on Avenida Santa Fe, which opened in May 1919, and the conversion kept the shape of the auditorium almost intact. In 2008 The Guardian placed it second in a list of the world's best bookshops, and in 2019 National Geographic called it the most beautiful bookshop in the world.
The theatre was designed by the architects Peró and Torres Armengol for the impresario Max Glücksmann. Glücksmann launched Radio Splendid from the building in 1924, and later in the 1920s the theatre became a cinema, showing the first sound films presented in Argentina in 1929. In February 2000 the Ilhsa group leased the building and the architect Fernando Manzone converted it into a book and music shop, replacing the cinema seats with bookshelves.
Stand in the middle of the old stalls and look up. The ceiling fresco was painted by the Italian artist Nazareno Orlandi, and caryatids by Troiano Troiani support the decoration. The theatre boxes are still in place and now serve as small reading nooks with seating, while the shop spreads across about 2,000 square metres on three floors. The café sits at the back of what was once the stage, which makes it one of the most theatrical places in the city for a coffee.
The shop sells books and music, and it has been commercially busy: it sold more than 700,000 books in 2007. Photography of the interior is part of the appeal; be considerate of other customers and staff, and remember that this is a working shop rather than a museum. Allow around 30 to 45 minutes, longer if you stop at the café. If you want a quieter visit, avoid the busiest shopping hours and come when you can take your time on each floor, since the views change as you move from the old stalls up to the balconies.
It suits book lovers, architecture fans and anyone who wants a short, memorable stop between sights. The bookshop is at Avenida Santa Fe 1860, in Barrio Norte, so it combines well with Recoleta Cemetery and the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes on the same day.
El Ateneo Grand Splendid FAQs
What was the building originally?
The Teatro Gran Splendid, a theatre that opened in May 1919 and later became a cinema.
When did it become a bookshop?
In 2000, when the Ilhsa group leased it and the architect Fernando Manzone converted it.
Is there a café?
Yes, the café sits at the back of the former stage.
Can you sit in the theatre boxes?
Yes, the original boxes remain and are used as seating areas for browsing.
Who painted the ceiling?
The Italian artist Nazareno Orlandi.
How long should I allow?
About 30 to 45 minutes, or longer if you stop for coffee.
Has it won any recognition?
The Guardian ranked it second among the world's best bookshops in 2008, and National Geographic called it the world's most beautiful bookshop in 2019.