El Ateneo in Buenos Aires – A bookstore to end all bookstores

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El Ateneo

Thanks to lukas_y2k for this photo.

The bookstore to end all bookstores, at least in South America, is the majestic and stunning El Ateneo on Avenida Santa Fe in Buenos Aires. Where else can you sit in a theater box and leisurely read a volume of Neruda, or sip a cortado where Carlos Gardel once performed? In a city with a rich literary history and excellent bookstores, this theater cum bookstore is a historical and beautiful building to visit, and a great place to stock up on books and music. [To discover more great bookstores, download ATG’s free Pocket Guide to Buenos Aires’ Brilliant Bookstores.]

In 1919 a young man named Max Glucksman decided to construct a theater house that would be both grand and splendid. Newly immigrated to Buenos Aires, Glucksman was a visionary who saw his dream realized and opened his new theater, appropriately named The Grand Splendid. For years the theater presented Argentines with performances of all kinds and local greats such as Gardel and Corsini graced the stage. In 1924 Glucksman began broadcasting Radio Splendid from the fourth floor of the building, and his recording company Odeon recorded some of the early Tango greats. In the late twenties the theater was converted into a movie house and in 1929 showed the first movies ever presented with sound.

In its final metamorphosis the Ateneo was converted into the bookstore that it is today, but despite the abundance of books, the building still feels very much like the glorious theater it once was. The ground floor is home to the main collection of works, everything from Borges and the classics to Asian cookbooks and Lonely Planet travel guides; the stock is vaguely reminiscent of a massive Barnes and Nobles, only in Spanish. There is a small selection of English books, but it is mostly standard airport fare with a few volumes of Shakespeare thrown in for good measure. If you are searching for decent English language books, there are better spots.

Bookshelves at El Ateneo bookstore in Buenos AiresThe basement has a collection of local and international music as well as a juniors’ section with books and toys for the youngest generation. The second floor houses science books of all varieties as well as textbooks and more secluded reading corners. The third floor has more music and a selection of DVDs. There are a few comfy chairs scattered throughout the four floors as well as in the theatre boxes on either side of the ‘stage’, and you are welcome to sit and peruse through your potential purchases in style.

An elegant café serves up fancy coffees, set lunches, and rich pastries in the back of the store where the stage once was. The heavy burgundy curtains still hang from the ceiling, and elevated booth tables are arranged ‘off stage left.’ It is a well-lit and quiet location, perfect for reading your new Che Guevara biography or meeting with friends to discuss current Argentine literature.

Entrance to El Ateneo bookstoreEl Ateneo serves up coffee and Cortazar in sleek antique surroundings. Whether you drop in for a quick peak or for a day long literary study session, prepare to be amazed by this grand and splendid bookstore.

El Ateneo
1860 Ave. Santa Fe
Monday – Friday from 10 to 7
Saturday 10 to 5

38 Comments

Paul Jones on February 17, 08

Looks like a great bookstore.

FYI: In the article it says “This theatre come bookstore…”

This should read: “This theatre cum bookstore…”

It’s Latin, not pr0n.

Steven on February 26, 08

Fantastic and gorgeous place, well worth to see but KEEP A CLOSE EYE on the change you get from the cashier. One girl that checked me out last Saturday gave me change for 50 pesos when I had given her 100 pesos. She did not think it was a big deal. A shame.

[…] the world’s a page at El Ateneo, a bookshop converted from an old theatre in downtown Buenos Aires. As you can see from this […]

[…] El Ateneo (the Santa Fe location) in Buenos Aires has retained the architecture it had in its former incarnation as the Grand Splendid Theater. Its four stories of books, music, and movies are as exciting and lovely as the ornate theater in which they reside. There is something remarkable about having a coffee where the stage once was (and Carlos Gardel once performed), but I may just prefer cozying up with Neruda in a box seat. […]

[…] one: The bookstore to end all bookstores, at least in South America, is the majestic and stunning El Ateneo on Avenida Santa Fe in Barrio Norte, Buenos Aires. Where else can you sit in a theatre box and […]

Micaela Peralta on July 2, 08

estoy muy interesada en comprar el/los libro/s de “GOSSIP GIRL” autora: “Cecily von Ziegesar”. en lo posible, en castellano. la coleccion completa es de 14 libros, pero cualquiera que este disponible me interesa. se que el primer libro salio en el año 2002 y el ultimo en el 2007. tambien tengo los nombres de cada uno, por si los necesitan.
cualquier informacion por favor comuniquenmela, si no es molestia.
muchas gracias, atte micaela.

[…] I sat in the sun on the corner of Lavalle and Uriburu and let my precious waterproof thread pass through my fingers, and as I did so I remembered that they have book shops in Buenos Aires. So I walked to Santa Fé and found El Ateneo. […]

Aki Themis on September 21, 08

This must be the most beautiful bookstore in the world. Really magnificent.
It is mentioned that the first sound movies ever were screened in it when it was a cinema. Is this the first time in Argentina or the world?

[…] Librería El Ateneo en Buenos Aires. Fuente: Argentina´s travel guide […]

[…] El Ateneo en Buenos […]

[…] El Ateneo ist laut Guardian der zweitschoenste Buchladen der Welt. Es ist dies ein umgebautes Theater in dem sogar Carlos Gardel aufgetreten ist. […]

[…] But it was an old movie palace that had been transformed into the coolest bookstore I’ve ever seen (El Ateneo Grand Splendid – seen in the photo above). And I did honestly think about going to the movies once, because I […]

Aki Themis on December 1, 08

It seems no one wants to answer my question. Was the Ateneo (Grand Splendid)the first movie house to screen
talking pictures in Argentina or the world? Being Greek, the name El Ateneo has a special significance for me. The
place looks magnificent.
akithemis@yahoo.com

[…] The Best Unique Store: Ateneo Book Store […]

[…] I sat in the sun on the corner of Lavalle and Uriburu and let my precious waterproof thread pass through my fingers, and as I did so I remembered that they have book shops in Buenos Aires. So I walked to Santa Fé and found El Ateneo. […]

[…] numa livraria que ia fechar. Uma pechincha cada um (menos de três reais). O grande encontrei no El Ateneo e é sobre restauro de livros e cartazes. Custou toda a grana economizada nos demais, mas valeu a […]

Blog Leituras Favre on June 2, 09

[…] nessas mesmas Galerias Pacífico (o Atheneo está uma porcaria, acho que sacrificaram as estantes de livro para investir na lanchonete para os […]

[…] recommend ordering food though. It’s mediocre, and that’s being kind. Check out Argentina’s Travel Guide’s write up on El Ateneo (by the way, Argentina’s Travel Guide also has a pocket guide BA’s […]

Julio Morales on August 16, 09

I read that El Ateneo was a must see when in Buenos Aires. Yes it is and I’m glad I visited it twice. That bookstore is the most magnificent bookstore. I could see myself spending hours upon hours there.

Un lugar absolutamente majestuoso.

[…] Angela is in the market for a pair of high, camel-colored boots.  A few blocks down, we found the Ateneo Grand Splendid book store.  This is the largest book store in South America and has an English selection.  The […]

[…] Sharing words with the Argentinean Writer Ernesto Sábato El Ateneo Bookstore / Buenos Aires http://argentinastravel.com/268/el-ateneo-in-buenos-aires-a-bookstore-to-end-all-bookstores/ […]

[…] the world’s a page at El Ateneo, a bookshop converted from an old theatre in downtown Buenos Aires. As you can see from this […]

[…] recommend ordering food though. It’s mediocre, and that’s being kind. Check out Argentina’s Travel Guide’s write up on El Ateneo (by the way, Argentina’s Travel Guide also has a pocket guide BA’s […]

[…] Avenida Santa Fe near Callao and Riobamba, this is the most beautiful bookstore I’ve ever seen. El Ateneo is housed inside an old theater. There’s a cafe on what was the stage, you can sit in the […]

[…] paradise. Home of J. L. Borges, the city has more than a thousand bookshops, the most notable being Ateneo Grand Splendid on Avenida Santa Fe, a magnificent renovated theatre which contains the largest bookstore in South […]

[…] to dreaming. Memories appeared as snapshots: sipping Cafe Cortado on what used to be a stage in El Ateneo, an old theatre; more coffee and medialunas while watching bundles of dogs led by a professional […]

[…] within our first hour of window shopping down Santa Fe. Also located on that commercial avenue is El Ateneo bookstore (1860 Ave. Santa Fe), an early 20th century theater-turned bookstore. The private boxes […]

[…] El Ateneo as one of the top ten bookshops in the world (along with Secret Headquarters):’Where else can you sit in a theater box and leisurely read a volume of Neruda, or sip a cortado where Carlos […]

[…] El Ateneo as one of the top ten bookshops in the world (along with Secret Headquarters):’Where else can you sit in a theater box and leisurely read a volume of Neruda, or sip a cortado where Carlos […]

[…] El Ateneo as one of the top ten bookshops in the world (along with Secret Headquarters):’Where else can you sit in a theater box and leisurely read a volume of Neruda, or sip a cortado where Carlos […]

[…] Terceiro lugar: “El ateneo” […]

[…] in the Alto Palermo shopping mall (I know, before you Buenos Aires snobs write in, that the Ateneo bookstore is much cooler). But see, Yenny had a big kid’s book section, and plenty of great titles to […]

[…] a bookstore fanboy I went agog over Buenos Aires’ El Ateneo, a stunning bookstore converted from an old […]

acne clearing on April 13, 10

Thanks for share it..keep up good working

[…] To learn more, click on this link to an Argentinian travel website. […]

[…] El Ateneo, a Buenos Aires, Argentina, i ubicada en un antic teatre del 1919. […]

[…] named El Ateneo as one of the top ten bookshops in the world (along with Secret Headquarters):'Where else can you sit in a theater box and leisurely read a volume of Neruda, or sip a cortado where Carlos […]

[…]  Stop by the El Ateneo Grand Splendid a theater turned bookshop on Ave. Santa Fe in Barrio Norte.  You can rad on the balcony or have a […]

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