Architecture in Argentina, Art in Buenos Aires
Achitect Santiago Calatrava- Puente de la Mujer
La Boca- ‘The mouth’ in English. The barrio of La Boca is so named because it is situated at the mouth of the river that runs along the capital federal’s southern border: the Riachuelo.
This proximity to the river is in fact the reason for La Boca’s existence: the barrio used to consist solely of shipyards and of the houses of people who worked in them. The houses were built with cast-off ship building materials, meaning that they were largely constructed of materials such as planks, sheet metal and corrugated iron.
Today La Boca remains a rough, working class and downbeat neighborhood.
Caminito is the work of the local La Boca artist Benito Quinquela Martín. In 1960 he painted the walls of what was then an abandoned street and erected a makeshift stage for performances, and it quickly became a haven for artists.
100-Year-Old Theatre Converted Into Stunning Bookstore
Tucked away in Barrio Norte, Buenos Aires is a beautiful bookshop called El Ateneo Grand Splendid. It is built within the almost 100-year-old Grand Splendid Theater, which opened in 1919.
The theatre was later converted into a cinema and eventually, in 2000, it was converted into the El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookshop, which currently welcomes over one million visitors each year.
The stunning building was originally designed by architects Peró and Torres Armengol, then later converted from a cinema into a bookshop by architect Fernando Manzzone, who retained many parts of the theatre, including the stage, the balconies, the incredible architectural 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 it’s elaborate décor and classic 1920’s theater feel.
Haydee Mercedes Sosa- Argentine singer
Haydee Mercedes Sosa
