An athenaeum is an entity interested in culture, art or science.
An athenaeum is a group dedicated to artistic or scientific research and dissemination . The term also refers to the establishment in which people dedicated to these tasks meet.
It is important to note that the Greek goddess of knowledge and art was known as Minerva , while the equivalent deity among the Romans was called Athena . In the Greek city of Athens , the temple built to pay tribute to this goddess was called Athenaeus .
What is an athenaeum
An athenaeum, therefore, is currently an entity that brings together individuals interested in some branch of culture or knowledge. These entities may, over time, seek greater formality and establish themselves as clubs , civil associations , etc.
For example: “Tomorrow there will be a talk on the history of Egypt at the Ateneo de San Juan” , “For three months I have been learning cryptography at the athenaeum” , “My grandfather, recently arrived from Spain, met with his compatriots in a “athenaeum to debate politics .”
Historical development
The rise of athenaeums as cultural centers took place in the 19th century . In countries like Spain , the upper classes formed their athenaeums with the intention of maintaining the status quo, while the lower classes developed athenaeums with other ideological orientations with the aim of promoting revolution .
The athenaeums, in general, are directed by their own members through assemblies . In some cases, there are teams of directors who are elected by the rest of the members and who are in charge of deciding the measures to take.
El Ateneo is the name of a famous bookstore located in the City of Buenos Aires.
The Athenaeum of Malaga
The Ateneo de Málaga is an association of literary and artistic interest that was founded in 1966 in the Spanish city and is part of the Federation of Athenaeums of Andalusia . Among its objectives are the following:
- Bring together artists, scientists and intellectuals with people interested in their work so that culture in its many forms is promoted and spread.
- Organize and promote events such as conferences , exhibitions, seminars, recitals, contests, colloquiums and others that serve to disseminate culture.
- Work together with other entities, both in the public and private spheres, to achieve these goals.
In 2001 he began editing the magazine Ateneo del Nuevo Siglo . Since 2002 , the headquarters of the Ateneo de Málaga has been located where the San Telmo School previously stood, on Compañía Street . It has extensions in several municipalities in Malaga, such as Fuengirola, Alhaurín el Grande, Torrox, Ronda, Villanueva del Rosario, Torremolinos and Marbella .
Other entities in Spain and Argentina
In Seville there is also a cultural association with an equivalent name, which was founded in 1887 . The Ateneo de Seville Prize is held there every year, a literature competition that began in 1969 with the help of the founder of Editorial Planeta , the Spanish editor José Manuel Lara Hernández .
Among the categories included in the Ateneo Prize are novels, history and poetry . Some of the winners since its first call are the following: Manuel Pombo Angulo, Carmen Conde, Antonio Burgos, Mercedes Salisachs, Pedro Casals, María García-Liberós, Fernando Marías, Eugenia Rico, Andrés Pérez Domínguez and Vanessa Montfort .
In 1835 , on the other hand, the Ateneo de Madrid was created, an institution dedicated to culture, focused on science and literature. It has two exhibition halls , where many of the most celebrated artists have presented their works throughout its almost two centuries of existence.
Finally, we can mention that El Ateneo Grand Splendid , popularly known as El Ateneo , is a famous bookstore in the city of Buenos Aires that is located in the building that belonged to an old theater.