Real Gabinete Portugues da Leitura Library

The Real Gabinete Portugues da Leitura Library is a traditional cultural institution located in downtown Rio de Janeiro and incorporated into the State Institute of Cultural Heritage.

The library was founded in 1837 by a group of Portuguese migrants and is the first association of the Portuguese community in the city.

The building of the current library was erected in 1880-1887 in the neomanueline style. The facade of the building is decorated with limestone and decorated with statues of such famous Portuguese figures as Luis de Camões, Vasco da Gama, Infant Don Enrique and Pedro Alvares Cabral brought from Portugal. In addition to the statues, the facade is decorated with medallions depicting famous writers.

In the interior of the building you can see characteristic of the style of blinds, wooden shelves for books and memorials. The ceiling of the reading room is decorated with a beautiful iron chandelier, and in the cabin there is an altar about two meters high and made of marble, silver and ivory.

Open to the public, the library contains the largest collection of works by the Portuguese people (over 350,000 volumes) outside Portugal.