Local before arrival
Built by 43 Portuguese immigrants in the year 1837, this library, with more than 400,000 volumes, boasts the largest collection of Portuguese literature outside of Portugal. The building, built between 1880 and 1887, is a prime example of the colonial Neo-Manueline style, with meticulously carved wooden bookshelves, as well as nautical details on the limestone façade and doorframes (which were even constructed in Lisbon and shipped over to Rio).
