RealGabinetePortuguêsdeLeitura

On one of the narrow streets of downtown Rio, very close to Praça Tiradentes, stands one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. We're talking about the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura, which has occupied a building on Rua Luís de Camões since 1887 and holds a collection of more than 350,000 works.

Image description: This is a photograph of a historic library. The image shows an interior view, centered on the upper part of the structure. From the ceiling hangs a large stained-glass skylight with geometric and floral patterns in shades of blue, red, and white. Below the skylight is a beautiful hanging chandelier with several bright lights. The walls are lined with tall bookshelves, filled with books arranged in vertical rows. The spatial arrangement is symmetrical, with shelves placed symmetrically to the left and right, and the skylight and chandelier centering the view.

The history of Real Gabinete begins in May 1837, when 43 Portuguese immigrants living in Rio de Janeiro founded a library in order to expand their own knowledge and that of the other Portuguese people living in the city. After it was created, the Gabinete had other headquarters until, in 1871, the board acquired the plot of land on what is now Luís de Camões street.

The foundation stone was laid on 06/10/1880, on the occasion of the tercentenary celebrations of the death of Luís de Camões. The official inauguration of the Neo-Manueline style building – designed by the Portuguese architect Rafael da Silva Castro – took place in December 1888, and both the exterior and interior of the building impress those who visit the Gabinete, which became a public library in 1900 and was granted the title of “Real” in 1906 by King D. Carlos of Portugal.

Image description: This is a historic black-and-white photograph of a grand building, identified as the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura. The image shows a facade with neo-Gothic architecture, characterized by Gothic arches, stained-glass windows, and ornamental details. On the left, there is a tree and a sign bearing the name "REIPO." In the center, the main building stands out, with an open central entrance and people gathered inside. On the right, there is a smaller structure, possibly a shop or adjoining building. In front of the building, several people are walking or riding in horse-drawn carriages.

In its bibliographic collection, the Real Gabinete has rare works by Luís de Camões (the 1st edition of Os Lusíadas), Camilo Castelo Branco (the manuscript of Amor de Perdição), and other important Portuguese authors, in addition to a significant body of work by Brazilian writers. In 1921, Florência Barreto — mother of João do Rio — 2 months after her son's untimely death, donated the more than 4,000 volumes of her library to the Real Gabinete.

Statues of Portuguese navigators and explorers adorn the building's façade: alongside the statue of Luís de Camões, Prince D. Henrique, Vasco da Gama, and Pedro Álvares Cabral were honored by sculptor Simões de Almeida, who was also responsible for the 4 medallions depicting Fernão Lopes, Gil Vicente, Alexandre Herculano, and Almeida Garrett.

Image description: The image is a photograph of a richly decorated interior, possibly a historic library. On the left, we see bookshelves with red and black covers, adorned with gold detailing. In the center, there is a bronze sculpture of a seated man, wearing old-fashioned clothing and holding a book. Above the sculpture, there is a panel with the text "SANTO ANTONIO VII CENTENARIO MCCXXXI-MCMXXXI". The background features a wall with ornamental moldings in black and white marble, as well as a window with colored stained glass.

In 1935, the Portuguese government granted the Gabinete the status of Legal Deposit of the National Library of Lisbon. Of all the works published in Portugal, the Real Gabinete receives one copy, making it the library with the largest Portuguese collection outside of Portugal. It's well worth a visit!