evergreen guide
In a prestigious international ranking organized by the 1000 Libraries Awards, the…
In a prestigious international ranking organized by the 1000 Libraries Awards, the Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading (Real Gabinete Português de Leitura) in Rio de Janeiro has been recognized as one of the top ten most beautiful libraries in the world in 2025, securing the…
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Overview
In a prestigious international ranking organized by the 1000 Libraries Awards, the Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading (Real Gabinete Português de Leitura) in Rio de Janeiro has been recognized as one of the top ten most beautiful libraries in the world in 2025, securing the 8th position. Located in downtown Rio, this historic institution was founded in 1837 and moved into its current building in 1888. Since 1900, it has served as a public library. Its interior, richly ornamented in the Neo-Manueline architectural style, pays homage to the Portuguese Age of Discoveries, featuring elaborate sculptures, sculpted wooden bookshelves, and decorative elements that evoke grandeur and cultural heritage. The library houses a vast collection exceeding 350,000 volumes, making it home to one of the largest and most valuable archives of Portuguese literature outside Portugal. Among its most treasured holdings are a first edition of "Os Lusíadas" (1572) and the manuscript of Amor de Perdição by Camilo Castelo Branco (1862), both carefully preserved in a secure vault.