If you were to peek out from backstage at most theatres, you would see excited crowds lining up in the stalls waiting for the show to start. But pull back the stage curtains of El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and you’ll discover a sight that would surprise any theatregoer.
The fresco-adorned private boxes have been turned into reading nooks, and the ornate balconies are lined with books. Gone are the traditional theatre seats – they’ve been replaced with cosy armchairs, inviting visitors to sit down with one of the 120,000 books this theatre-turned-bookshop has to offer.
It’s easy to while away hours browsing the titles – perhaps with a drink in hand, listening to a live pianist while soaking up the magnificence of the venue. One glance at its decadent interiors will transport any visitor back in time to before El Ateneo Grand Splendid, or ‘The Grand Splendid’ became a bookstore.
The curtains first dropped in 1919, when Buenos Aires was at the height of a cultural revolution due to a surge in immigrants, which turned the city into a hub for trade. Max Glucksman, the building’s proprietor, was a prominent figure in the world of tango, enabling the theatre to host stars of the genre, including Carlos Gardel, Francisco Canaro, Roberto Firpo and Ignacio Corsini.
In its heyday, the theatre’s spotlights shone on all kinds of productions, from ballets to operas, and in 1929 it was transformed into a cinema, showing the first ‘talkies’ in Buenos Aires. In 2000, under threat of demolition, the theatre was carefully renovated into a bookstore, retaining its unique flair and charm.
With around 734 (and counting,), Buenos Aires is believed to have the most bookshops per inhabitant than any other city in the world – so where else would you expect to find such a showstopping literary venue? A must-visit for any bookworm.
El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Av. Sta. Fe 1860, C1123 Buenos Aires, Argentina
