Café Tortoni

Café Tortoni
Café Tortoni Location in Buenos Aires
Location	825 Avenida de Mayo, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Built	1858
Architect	Alejandro Christophersen
National Historic Monument of Argentina

The Café Tortoni is a coffeehouse located at 825 Avenida de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina. First opened in 1858 by a French immigrant whose surname was Touan, it was named Tortoni after the Parisian café of the same name located on Boulevard des Italiens (where the elite of the Parissiense culture gathered in the 19th century). The café itself was inspired by Fin de siècle coffee houses. Café Tortoni was selected by UCityGuides as one of the ten most beautiful cafes in the world.^[1]

History

The area the café currently occupies was previously the location of the Templo Escocés ("Scottish Temple"), and the Tortoni was located on the corner of Rivadavia and Esmeralda. In 1880 it moved to its present location, but had its entrance on the other side of the block in Rivadavia Street. In 1898 the entrance on Avenida de Mayo was opened, and the facade was redesigned by architect Alejandro Christophersen. At the end of the 19th-century the café was bought by another Frenchman, Celestino Curutchet.

In the basement, La Peña (see

Gallery

• 
  Tortoni exterior with Line A underground train entrance in the background
• 
  Entrance to the Café
• 
  Jorge Luis Borges's regular table, with wax sculpture
• 
  Old barber area
• 
  Display of busts
• 
  Plaque in front of the Cafe

References

External links

• Media related to Café Tortoni at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website