In May we featured El Ateneo, a theatre-turned-bookstore in Buenos Aires, Argentina, suggesting that it may be the most beautiful bookstore in the world. One of our readers, Petra, thinks that the Polare Maastricht bookstore in the Netherlands has it beat. The Polare Maastricht is also a converted classic building but it is even older than the former theatre that houses El Ateneo; Polare is operated out of the more than 700-years-old Dominicanen Church!
There are no details spared at Polare, with its requisite bookstore coffee shop, Blanche Dael Coffeelovers, being found in the church’s former sanctuary.
What do you think? Does the ecclesiastic architecture of the Polare Maastricht make it the most beautiful bookstore in the world?
I used to live close to this one. It is indeed gorgeous, but I think another Dutch church-turned-bookstore that opened recently did an even better, more integrated job: Waanders, in the city of Zwolle
http://www.bkpunt.nl/?home/page/broerenkerk#0
Wow, you’re right Sabine; the ceilings are gorgeous!
Who knows… this may have to end up being featured in our Beautiful Bookstores series, as well.
Thanks for the tip!