Considered by UNESCO to be one of the ten largest national libraries in the world, the National Library of Brazil is also the largest library in Latin America. It is responsible for preserving, updating, and making available a collection of around 10 million items.
The starting point of this collection came with the 1808 arrival of the Royal Brazilian Library, brought together with Dom João VI’s court, who were fleeing Napoleon Bonaparte’s invasion of Portugal. Along with the entourage, about 60-thousand pieces were unloaded, among them books, manuscripts, maps, prints, coins, and medals. Until 1814, the library was restricted to scholars who had the consent of the king.
The current headquarters of the library on Avenida Rio Branco was inaugurated in 1910. It was designed by builder and engineer General Francisco Marcelino de Souza Aguiar due to the constant and permanent growth of the collection. The building has an eclectic style, which mixes neo-classical and art nouveau elements with steel structures.