Far from the hustle and bustle of downtown Rio de Janeiro, there is a literary refuge. Hidden in the basement of the Marquês do Herval Building is the Leonardo da Vinci Bookstore.
Founded in 1952 by immigrants, the place was once a gathering spot for Rio’s intellectuals. It was even immortalized in a poem by Carlos Drummond de Andrade! Here we tell you more about this charming spot!
The origins and interesting facts about the Leonardo da Vinci Bookstore
The Leonardo da Vinci Bookstore was founded in 1952 by an immigrant couple: the Romanian Andrei Duchiade and the Italian Vanna Piraccini.
At the time, the bookstore was located in the Delamare Building on Avenida Presidente Vargas. However, four years later, the space became too small, and they decided to move the bookstore to the basement of the Marquês do Herval Building, where it remains to this day.
In the early years, it was up to Donna Vanna (as she was known) to choose the books to be sold in the store. At first, they were only French books. Later, she began importing from other European countries and the United States, until she started offering Brazilian works as well .
And why the name Leonardo da Vinci? The bookstore was given this name because, in the year of its founding, the 500th anniversary of the Renaissance artist’s birth was celebrated— he was the owner’s favorite.
Drummond de Andrade was one of its distinguished regulars
Thanks to its excellent selection of books, the Leonardo da Vinci Bookstore was very popular among the intellectuals, artists, students, academics, and politicians of the time.
Among its most illustrious patrons is Carlos Drummond de Andrade, who even paid tribute to the place in one of his poems, in the book *As Impurezas do Branco* (1973).
In a poem in honor of the Leonardo da Vinci Bookstore, Drummond describes the path to the location, highlighting the spiral staircase, as well as the atmosphere of the place.
Another person who frequented the bookstore and mentioned it in one of his poems was Antônio Cícero. In “A cidade e os livros”(The City and the Books), the writer dedicates the poem to Vanna Piraccini and recalls his adolescence in downtown Rio, citing iconic locations.
The changes and what the Leonardo da Vinci Bookstore is like today
The Leonardo da Vinci Bookstore is one of the most traditional in Rio de Janeiro. However, keeping its legacy alive while adapting to modern times has taken a lot of hard work!
That’s because the store went through some very difficult times with the death of Andrei Duchiade in 1965, a fire in 1973, and, a few years later, a severe economic crisis.
In 2015, the announcement that the bookstore would be closing its doors for good caused quite a stir among Rio residents —and, fortunately, that didn’t happen!
Today, the curation of the works remains a must-see, and the place is a true time capsule for those who love culture.
Besides being the perfect spot to disconnect from the city’s hustle and bustle, the bookstore also hosts super interesting events, such as debates, discussion groups, and book signings. And, of course, be sure to stop by the café—it’s a delight!
Leonardo da Vinci Bookstore
📍Avenida Rio Branco, 185 – basement (stores 2-4) – Downtown
⏲️Monday through Friday, 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM | Saturdays, 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM
