Livraria Lello & Irmão

The Livraria Lello e Irmão ( German: bookstore Lello and brother ) is a bookstore in the Portuguese city of Porto. It is counted among the most beautiful bookshops in Europe and the world.

History

In 1869 the Carmelite No. 144 was opened the bookstore Livraria Chardron in today's building in Rua. 1894 bought José Pinto de Sousa Lello the building. He imported books and chatted with his brother David Lourenço Pereira already a bookstore in Porto. After the death of his brother José Pinto de Sousa Lello founded together with his brother António Lello the book trade and publishing Lello & Irmão, Lda. On January 13, 1906, the bookstore opened with great attention to the culturally interested parties postage.

The company is now part of the newly formed Prólogo Livreiros, SA, a book trade, which also includes a member of the Lello family. In 1995, the bookstore has been extensively renovated. An application for the comprehensive conservation is provided.

In 2008, the British newspaper The Guardian chose the most beautiful bookstores in the world, forgave the bookstore Lello while the third place. Also for the Lonely Planet Lello is the most beautiful bookshop in Europe and the third most beautiful in the world.

Occasionally, the Harry Potter novels, an influence of the gloomy granite buildings postage onto the author JK Rowling is said. The author lived in the early 1990s some time in Porto and stayed frequently at the bookstore Lello, while they suffered through some personal crises. Especially the first Harry Potter book came in Porto. The bookstore and their impact should this have been an influence on the emergence of the Harry Potter novel world.

The coordinates of the bookstore 41 ° 08'48 " N 8 ° 36'73 " W.

Design and offer

The art nouveau building with its neo-Gothic façade was designed and built by engineer Xavier Esteves. The sculptor Romão Júnior created inside busts of important writers, including Antero de Quental, Eca de Queiroz, Camilo Castelo Branco, Teófilo Braga, Tomás Ribeiro and Guerra Junqueiro. An eye-catching feature is the curved wooden staircase that leads into the open plan upper floors. There is a small bar is set up, is served in the preferably port wine.

The bookstore offers a wide range of classic Portuguese literature, a well-assorted political segment and a large selection of poetry. On the large number of tourists to the bookstore is additionally adjusted with a separate segment of postcards, guidebooks and special products.