When a bookstore became famous Livraria Lello

Sometimes books really became famous, sometimes their authors became stars.
However at Porto in Portugal there is one bookstore which is extremely famous.

The bookstore is called Livraria Lello. Lello is one of the oldest bookshops of
Portugal and it is high rated in travel guides such as Lonely Planet.

Lello Bookstore in Porto Portugal

History

In 1869, the Livraria Internacional de Ernesto Chardron was founded by the
Frenchman Ernesto Chardron. At the age of 45 Ernesto died. The firm was sold
to Lugan & Genelioux Sucessores.

However in 1881, José Lello along with his brother-in-law created the firm
David Pereira & Lello. After the death of David Pereira the establishment
again changed its name in José Pinto de Sousa Lello & Irmão when José
partnered with his younger brother António Lello.

In 1891, the Chardron Bookstore acquired the establishments of A.R da
Cruz Coutinho and other bookstores in the city. Mathieux Lugan sold his
share in the Chardron bookstores to the brothers Lello in 1894.

Then the brothers hired engineer Francisco Xavier Esteves (1864-1944) to
construct a new bookstore on Rua das Carmelitas.

In 1906, the Lello Livraria was inaugurated.

On 14 December 1981 there was a proposal to classify the store for its
cultural heritage. This took place on 24 March 1994.

In 2015 the Lello bookstore started to ask entrance fees for visitors.

Stairs at Lello Bookstore in Porto Portugal

Architecture


The Bookstore is located near the Porto University Faculty of Sciences
and the Clérigos Church.

The exterior has a mixed architectural suggesting Neo Gothic and
Art Nouveau elements. The Interior has Art Deco elements.

ceiling in Lello Bookstore Porto Portugal

Lello the bookstore

Lello bookstore the ceiling and the stairs

Harry Potter



The Lello bookstore was often visited by J.K Rowling, author of Harry Potter.
The stairs and the interior must have been an inspiration for her writings (it
looks as the moving stairs of Hogwarts).

Lello Bookstore and Harry Potter

Lello Bookstore and its magic

A visit

The Lello Bookstore is easily reachable in the center of Porto. Arriving there,
a huge queue was waiting to us.

We had to wait twice: one for the ticket and one to go inside the shop. It is
so extremely popular.

Although I liked the interior, the stairs, the Harry Potter theme and the shop's
history, it was a bit overcrowded.

A ticket costs 5 euro but it can be reduced when you buy a book.

I took this pictures in May 2019.

Lello Bookstore Porto Portugal

Lello Bookstore Porto Portugal

Royal Destination Lokeren and the Durme

It is not always a destination far away, which touches you the most.

Recently my family and I were walking alongside the Durme. This is a
river in Lokeren, East Flanders in the northern Part of Belgium.

Walking near the river, I suddenly was curious about its history and
of course, I decided that I wanted to know more about the Durme.

Lokeren Durme Belgium

Lokere Durme Belgium

Some royal history


During the Middle Ages the Durme was much longer, she started at St.
Joris near Beernem and then she went east untill Vinderhoute.  There
the Durme merged with the Poekebeek (which came from Tielt).

The city of Ghent wanted a connection with the North Sea and the
Western Scheldt.

In 1613 the Brugsche Vaart was dug out. This is nowadays a part of the
channel of Ghent-Ostend.

Between 1823 and 1827 the channel of Ghent-Terneuzen was made and
the Durme was cut off from her source and its headwaters. Due to this,
parts of the Durme were sanded. To continue the shipping trafic dredging
work was needed.

In the 1930's some of the dykes of the Durme were flooded. The
catastrophe was visited by King Albert I of Belgium.

King Albert I of Belgium

Source picture: Wikipedia

Later lots of public works were carried out to protect the dykes and the
cities/towns near the river.

Lokeren Durme Belgium

Lokeren Durme Belgium - under the bridge

A visit

The Durme in Lokeren in East Flanders is easy to visit. It is located not far from the
city's center and the railway station.

For me and my family it always is a nice walk in the middle of a natural environment.
Walking is the ideal way to spend a beautiful sunny afternoon.