El Ateneo

El Ateneo is a bookstore in Buenos Aires located on Avenida Santa Fe 1860 near Callao. From the outside, it would be possible to walk past it without realizing the incredible treasure that lies beneath. Inside is a grand old theater.

Through the rows and rows of books, you can stand in the middle of the shelves and imagine the great history of this gorgeous place. When it opened in 1860, this theater hosted famous Tango shows, many musicians and theatrical shows.

In the early 1920's a man named Max Glücksmann bought the building and began to broadcast his own radio station, Radio Splendid. In 1926, he then converted it to a cinema and by 1929 was showing the city’s first shows ever presented with sound. The last movie played here was American Beauty by Sam Mendes.

After a major renovation Buenos Aires resurrected this gem into a relaxing get-away amongst the hustle and bustle of the downtown life.

There is a small selection of English books, there is a music section in the basement and a fantastic café located where the stage used to be. You can also find a seat in one of the old theater boxes on the side of the stage.