Beautiful 21,000 sq. ft. Bookstore in Brazil

By Nan Palmero from San Antonio, TX, USA (El Ateneo Book Store) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Via Twisted Sifter

One look and it is easy to see why this bookstore was named by The Guardian as the 2nd most beautiful in the world in 2008.

It is called El Ateneo Grand Splendid and located in Barrio Norte, Buenos Aires, Brazil.   It built around 100 years ago and opened in 1919 as a grand theater with a seating capacity of 1,050.

In the 1920's it was converted into a movie theater and was destined for demolition until Grupo Ilhsa leased it and turned it into the bookstore in 2000.

The building was designed by architects Peró and Torres Armengol.   It has frescos on the ceiling painted by frescoed ceilings by Nazareno Orlandi, lovely sculpted columns,  theater boxes and rounded balconies with ornate details and an elegant red stage curtain.

For more information, visit the  official website



By Stanley Wood (originally posted to Flickr as Buenos Aires - 164) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

By Jorge Láscar from Australia (El Ateneo Grand Splendid) [CC BY 2.0],
href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AEl_Ateneo_Grand_Splendid_(4728807067).jpg">via Wikimedia Commons