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100-Year-Old Theatre Converted Into Stunning Bookstore
CuriositiesJUL 15, 2016

100-Year-Old Theatre Converted Into Stunning Bookstore

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Tucked away in Barrio Norte, Buenos Aires is a beautiful shop that every bookworm would love to visit, called El Ateneo Grand Splendid. It is built within the almost 100-year-old Grand Splendid Theater, which opened in 1919. The premises were later converted into a movie theater and eventually, in 2000, it was transformed into the El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore, which currently welcomes over one million book lovers each year.
The stunning building was initially designed by architects Peró and Torres Armengol, then later converted from an old movie theater into a bookshop by architect Fernando Manzone, who retained many parts of the theatre, including the stage, the balconies, the interior design details and even the red curtains. In 2008 El Ateneo Grand Splendid was named the second most beautiful bookshop in the world by The Guardian, and that's no surprise considering its elaborate décor and classic 1920’s theater feel.
Image credits: Ryan Poole
Image credits: Nan Palmero
Image credits: Violinha
Image credits: inha.fr
Image credits: Céline
Image credits: Alamy
Image credits: David
Image credits: Jorge Láscar
Image credits: Stanley Wood
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