Everything You Need to Know About the Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading

Sure, it’s officially known as the Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading, but we like to think of it as the Jewelry Box. With a stained-glass dome, floor-to-ceiling shelves that soar three stories, and jewel-toned book spines guarded over by Portuguese luminaries, this is the fantastical library of our dreams.

A Portuguese colony since 1500, Brazil gained its independence in 1822. But a group of 43 Portuguese immigrants and political refugees wanted to preserve their written heritage. The collection they started is now the largest collection of Portuguese works outside of Portugal. The almost 400,000 volumes include rare original manuscripts, significant literary works, and unique folios. We can only assume the book smell is overwhelmingly awesome.

This Gothic fantasyland was designed by architect Rafael da Silva e Castro. He made a cast-iron skylight and chandelier the crowning centerpiece of the Reading Room. The graduated stacks of books and gilded arches point like arrows toward the delicate glasswork above. (Underneath your feet, you’ll find a black-and-white tiled floor.)

Statues depicting important Portuguese figures are tucked into nooks in the room, like this one of Luís de Camões. He is considered the Portuguese language’s greatest poet and is often (favorably) compared to Shakespeare and Homer. His most famous work is the epic poem Os Lusíadas, which was so influential, Portuguese is sometimes called ‘the language of Camões.’ A centerpiece of the library’s collection is a rare copy of Os Lusíadas from 1572.

The façade of the library is constructed of Lisbon stone brought by ship from Portugal to Rio. Built in the Neo-Manueline revival style — based on the 16th-century architecture of Portugal — its design was inspired by the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon. (The interior also uses the Neo-Manueline style on its towering wooden bookcases and memorial alcoves.)

The entrance to The Royal Cabinet features statues of explorers Pedro Álvares Cabral, Infante D. Henrique, Vasco da Gama, and Luís de Camões. On the left is Infante D. Henrique, a.k.a., Prince Henry the Navigator — and peaking out from behind the statue of Luís de Camões, bedecked in a laurel wreath in the foreground, is Vasco da Gama.

Here, poet Luís de Camões (left) and Prince Henry the Navigator (right) strike a pose and act as doormen.

The library has been open to the public since 1900. Today, it publishes the magazine Convergência Lusíada, a journal of Portuguese literature and culture, and offers college-level courses on literature, the Portuguese language, history, anthropology, and the arts. You are welcome to visit this cathedral of knowledge without knowing a single word of Portuguese. Although you might want to practice saying, ‘Eu amo livros.’ (I love books.)

If the Cabinet has has you dreaming of Brazil, we have a whole podcast episode devoted to it — including five books we love that are set there. And if it’s the library itself that has your heart, our Library episode recommends five books where libraries take center stage.

If you go…

The Reading Room is open to the public and is located in the city center, so it’s easy to pop in and enjoy the splendor. For details on hours and other relevant information, visit the Real Gabinete Português De Leitura website.

• Real Gabinete Português De Leitura (Royal Portuguese Reading Room)
• Rua Luís de Camões, 30
• Centro - Rio de Janeiro
• Brazil

Top image courtesy of Diego Grandi/Shutterstock.