Stepping inside Livraria Lello is like stepping back in time.
This magnificent bookstore opened in 1906, the creation of the Lello brothers and the masterful engineer Francisco Xavier Esteves.
Its Neo-Gothic facade, adorned with allegorical figures of Art and Science, hints at the treasures within.
Inside, you’ll be awestruck by the symphony of details. Sunlight pours through a massive stained glass ceiling, its motto “Decus in Labore” (Honor in Work) casting shimmering colours across the intricately carved wood. Bookshelves line the walls, reaching towards the ceiling like ancient trees.
The centrepiece, however, is the iconic crimson staircase. It swirls and curves in a seemingly impossible feat of engineering, inviting visitors to explore the upper gallery. Throughout, Art Nouveau flourishes and intertwines with Neo-Gothic elements, creating a truly unique and enchanting atmosphere.
Rumour has it that J.K. Rowling, who lived in Porto in the 1990s, found inspiration for the magical world of Harry Potter within Livraria Lello’s grand interior. Whether fact or fiction, the bookstore’s mystical atmosphere certainly sparks the imagination.
