Tucked away in alleys and hidden from the hustle and bustle, little bookstores are discovered every day by the wandering feet of readers all over the world. They’re discreet and charming, little nooks of respite within cities for those who find comfort and adventure within the pages of books. While not always easy to find, part of the magic can be the discovery itself when one stumbles across such a little bookshop.
And then there are the bookshops that call to readers, standing like beacons in the middle of cities, drawing thousands to their doors daily and welcoming them into a uniquely stunning, charming atmosphere readers might not expect from a bookstore so large. One such bookstore is, of course, El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Argentina.
The striking, elegant building that houses El Ateneo Grand Splendid was originally built as a theatre in 1903. After being bought by Austrian businessman and impresario Max Glücksmann, the theatre, then known as The Teatro Nacional, was renovated and expanded. Designed by architects Pero and Torres Armengol and inspired by 19th-century Parisian architecture, the stunning theatre, renamed Teatro Gran Splendid—The Splendid Theatre, featured a myriad of incredible design features that added an undeniable sense of style, elegance, and grandeur. Such features included ceiling frescoes painted by Italian artist Nazareno Orlandi, ornate carvings, caryatids (sculptures of female figures that take the place of columns to serve as supports), and sweeping crimson curtains framing the stage.
Teatro Grand Splendid opened in 1919 and quickly became a pillar of Buenos Aires culture, showcasing ballet, opera, and tango performances by some of Argentina’s most well known dancers. Glücksmann, in addition to owning and operating the theatre, was one of the biggest figures within the Argentinian music industry, virtually controlling the tango scene. He eventually made Teatro Grand Splendid the base of his record label, El Nacional Odeon. Live tango performances were recorded there, with some tango legends including Francisco Canaro, Roberto Firpo, and Carlos Gardel having recorded at the theatre. Glückmann’s radio station, Radio Splendid, was also housed in the upper floors and broadcast from the theatre beginning in 1924.
The late 20s saw a change in the Teatro Grand Splendid—it was to become a cinema. It first showed silent films, accompanied by live tango orchestras at Glückmann’s direction, and eventually showed the first ever sound film seen in Argentina in 1929. Its last screening was in 1991, before the poor economy forced its closure. Sadly, this stunning, historically and culturally important building fell into disrepair and was scheduled for demolition.
Adolfo de Vincenzi, a local businessman, was a patron of the cinema before its closure, enjoying its refuge during his days as a student whenever he could take a break from his classes nearby. He said of the cinema: “Every time I finished with my exams, I said, ‘That’s my vacation.’ I came here.” Upon learning Teatro Grand Splendid was slated for demolition, de Vincenzi moved to acquire the building with his company El Ateneo.
El Ateneo has long been a literary presence within Argentina. The business began in 1912 as a publishing house that brought translated classics such as Shakespeare, Homer, Machiavelli and more to Argentinian readers with its first catalogue. In 1968, El Ateneo launched a series of lectures and author signings, called “The Spring of Letters,” that eventually became the Buenos Aires International Book Fair, one of the top five largest book expos in the world, held each April. El Ateneo is now part of Yenny-El Ateneo, a chain of bookstores across Argentina owned by a larger company.
Through de Vincenzi’s interest, Yenny-El Ateneo’s parent company leased the theatre and restored it to its former glory while making the changes necessary for a bookstore. Bookshelves replaced rows of seating, but the gilded Old World beauty of the original theatre is still at the forefront of El Ateneo Grand Splendid. The beautiful carvings and the stunning ceiling frescoes remain, as do the opera boxes that now serve as private, cozy reading nooks for patrons. The sweeping curtains still frame the stage, which now is home to a café where patrons can enjoy a coffee and live musicians that play there often, something of an ode to the original theatre’s history.
The bookstore, while a fantastically popular attraction for tourists, offers mostly books in Spanish, with a small selection of (mostly romance and mystery) novels in English. The bottom floor is dedicated to children’s books.
With over 730 bookstores (the most per capita of any city in the world), Buenos Aires has been called “the bookstore capital of the world.” Even among so many other bookshops, El Ateneo Grand Splendid stands out in a way that very few bookstores around the world could compare to. It’s classical and elegant, dramatic and luxurious. If the absolutely enchanting beauty of this bookstore wasn’t enough to garner the attention of readers around the world, its history surely would be. A cultural beacon since its inception in 1903, this building has provided for its community in a way that both showcased and encouraged art, reflecting the passions of the eras it saw Buenos Aires through. From theatre and tango to record production and radio, the cultural impact and importance of this theatre-turned-bookstore is still very much alive today because of El Ateneo Grand Splendid.