Royal Portuguese Reading Room
The interior of the historic Royal Portuguese Reading Room is nothing short of awe inspiring
Located in downtown Rio, amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, lies the Real Gabinete Portugues da Leitura or Royal Portuguese Reading Room in English. The Real Gabinete Portugues da Leitura or is a beautiful library built in the Portuguese manueline style back in 1837.
It is said that books fill the walls from top to bottom in precious and beautiful carved wood bookshelves. There are those who make comparisons with Hogsworth college (those of you who have watched the Harry Potter series would know exactly what they are talking about). For those who have not seen any shots of the inside of Hogsworth, let's just say that the place is absolutely magical.
The library houses over 350,000 works, many of those works dating from the 16th, 17th and 18th century. These works contain an incredible amount of Portuguese history and culture. The Real Gabinete Prtugues da Lietura also features a variety of small collections of paintings, sculptures and ancient coins.
It is recommended when visiting the library you make certain that you go with a group of people or at least one other person as the library is situated in an older part of downtown of Rio de Janiero and like many large cities, you will find a number of beggars and vendors who can sometimes be on the aggressive side. See the video at the bottom of our Transit Tips page for some great advice on being safe while exploring Rio.
The other attractions in the area are the National LIbrary of Brazil and the Municipal Theatre. Both are definitely worth a visit.
For an afternoon of wonder in a world of literature and amazing architecture, visit the Real Gabinete Portugues da Leitura. Don't forget to bring your identity document along to ensure access!
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: NoCurrently Closed
Hours This Week:- Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed
Address: R. Luís de Camões, 30 - Centro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20051-020, Brazil
Phone: (21) 2221-3138
Official Website: Royal Portuguese Reading Room
Directions
| Metro Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Line 1 - Orange or LIne2 - Green | Uruguaiana |
How to get to Royal Portuguese Reading Room by Metro
Exit Uruguaiana Station onto Rua Uruguaiana and go right. Go right again onto Rua do Ouvidor and follow it to the plaza. Continue west along Rua Luis de Camoes, the road that borders the right side of the plaza and watch for the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura on your right.
Map & Instant Route Finder
Click&Go Map and Route Finder with public transit, walking, driving or cycling directions. Get up-to-the-minute transit times for your route.
Reviews
Rated out of 5
Lugar lindooooo demais da conta. Super vale a pena fazer uma visita por lá. Mesmo que seja uma visitinha rápida na hora do almoço gente. E quem gosta de Harry Potter vai amar e vai se sentir como se estivesse em Hogwarts 😍 **** This is a beautiful place in the downtown. I've felt like at Hogwarts. So, who likes Harry Potter need to go there. A little visit in lunch time is a good activity in the downtown. It's a great place to go and appreciate the architecture. The place open from Monday to Friday, 9AM to 6PM. And it is free!!! I've really fallen in love white Royal Portuguese Reading Room and I recommend you to go there.
Ágata Vieira - 2 months ago
Lugar lindooooo demais da conta.
Super vale a pena fazer uma visita por lá.
Mesmo que seja uma visitinha rápida na hora do almoço gente.
E quem gosta de Harry Potter vai amar e vai se sentir como se estivesse em Hogwarts 😍
****
This is a beautiful place in the downtown.
I've felt like at Hogwarts. So, who likes Harry Potter need to go there.
A little visit in lunch time is a good activity in the downtown.
It's a great place to go and appreciate the architecture.
The place open from Monday to Friday, 9AM to 6PM. And it is free!!!
I've really fallen in love white Royal Portuguese Reading Room and I recommend you to go there.
David Maddison - 4 months ago
Quan Ha - 4 months ago
sambao sambao - 4 months ago
Pedro Parga - 7 months ago
Video
Photo Gallery
Facade and entrance to the Royal Portuguese Reading Room in Rio de Janeiro cc licensed photo by Wikimapa 
cc licensed photo by Os Rúpias 
Library inside the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura cc licensed photo by Os Rúpias
