Built by immigrants
Portuguese immigrants founded the reading room in 1837 to keep their language and culture alive in Rio.
Urban Tales › Rio de Janeiro › Real Gabinete Português de Leitura
Real Gabinete Português de Leitura: the history, and a Lisbon monastery in downtown Rio
Behind a carved Gothic-style façade, three storeys of books under a stained-glass skylight. Here's what you're looking at, and what to listen for when you get there.
Founded1837
Building1887
Styleneo-Manueline
Books350,000+
Hear the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura story, in the app's voice
A short preview. The full story plays on its own when you walk up to it with Urban Tales.
Three stories most visitors miss
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Inspired by Jerónimos
The building by architect Rafael da Silva e Castro, opened in 1887, copies the Manueline style of Lisbon's Jerónimos Monastery.
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Heroes on the façade
The statues on the front are Luís de Camões, Pedro Álvares Cabral, Henry the Navigator and Vasco da Gama.
TipEntry is free; step inside quietly, look up at the skylight and the chandelier, and keep your voice down: it's still a working library. With Urban Tales running, its story plays as you reach Rua Luís de Camões.
Nearby landmarks
Real Gabinete Português de Leitura: common questions
Is the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura free?
Yes, visiting the reading room is free; check opening hours before you go.
When was the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura built?
The institution was founded in 1837; the current building opened in 1887.
How many books does the Real Gabinete have?
More than 350,000 volumes, one of the largest collections of Portuguese books outside Portugal.