The most beautiful bookstore in the world

El Ateneo Grand Splendid is a bookstore in a former theater building that is visited by millions of people every year. A real paradise for book lovers and one of the most famous tourist attractions in the capital of Argentina - Buenos Aires. Ranked by BBC Culture I The Guardian it is the second most beautiful bookstore in the world.

14 PHOTOS

1. In the El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore, not only book lovers but also theater and film lovers will feel good. See for yourself, this is a huge four-story theater with a stage lit by thousands of lights, a red velvet curtain, and beautiful frescoes on the ceilings. And books ... many, many books. (Photo: Miguel Vieira / Flickr.com).

2. Situated on 1860 Avenida Santa Fe in the Barrio Norte area, the theater is easy to walk by. It is undoubtedly beautiful, but it merges with other similar majestic buildings in the area. (Photo: Roberto Fiadone / Wikimedia Commons).

3. The theater was designed in the early 20th century by two architects - brothers Pero I Torres Armengol for Maxa Glucksamana, a Jewish impresario who devoted most of his life to Argentine tango. (Photo: Eduardo Wickboldt / Flickr.com).

4. At first, this building was a theater. It opened in 1912 and had a capacity of 1,050 spectators. Many theatrical performances, performances of famous artists and dancers took place within its walls. (Photo: David / Flickr.com).

5. In the second half of the twenties, the building was converted into a cinema, in which in 1929 a movie with sound was shown for the first time in Argentina. (Photo: Jorge Láscar / Flickr.com).

6. The bookstore in the former theater was opened in 2000. The building was slightly altered for the needs of the bookstore under the direction of the architect Fernando Manzon. (Photo: Carlos Adampol Galindo / Flickr.com).

7. The idea of the architect Fernando Manzon and the new owners of El Ateneo - Grupo Ilhsa - was excellent: the bookstore had to blend harmoniously with the splendor of the theatrical interior. (Photo: Roger Schultz / Flickr.com).

8. The rows of chairs from the auditorium in front of the stage were removed, and bookshelves were located in their place. However, the chic theater boxes have been preserved and now you can enjoy books in silence. By the way, when abroad, do not be surprised at the sight of visitors sitting around the store with books in their hands and reading, this is a common thing. (Photo: Salim Virji / Flickr.com).

9. The bookstore impresses not only with its unusual interior and beauty but also with its size. El Ateneo Grand Splendid is located on four floors, on a surface of over 2000 square meters. Here you can find the largest collection of tango books and CDs. (Photo: Andrés Felipe Morales Duarte / Flickr.com).

10. On the former stage there is now a cozy cafe. (Photo: Nico Kaiser / Flickr.com).

11. The preserved architectural details of the theater have created a unique atmosphere in this bookstore. This is probably why more than a million people visit it every year, including, perhaps, those who do not really like reading. (Photo: Shutterstock)

12. On the shelves of El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires you can find books from all over the world, including the leading Russian publishing house Eksmo. (Photo: Shutterstock).