What you will find
Real Gabinete Português de Leitura is one of downtown Rio’s great architectural treasures. Thousands of books cover the walls from floor to ceiling around its spectacular Neo-Manueline reading room.
The main attraction is the Reading Room, with monumental bookshelves, an iron-and-glass skylight, sculptures, paintings, manuscripts and one of the most important collections of Portuguese literature outside Portugal.
History
The institution was founded in 1837 by Portuguese immigrants seeking to promote Portugal’s culture and literature in Brazil. The current building opened in 1887, with architecture inspired by Portuguese monuments such as the Jerónimos Monastery.
What makes this place special
Its spectacular Neo-Manueline reading room and a collection of hundreds of thousands of works.
