POPSUGAR

This Gorgeous Bookstore Is Said to Have Possibly Inspired Parts of Hogwarts

Feb 24 2020 - 2:05pm

You've got a new place to add to your Harry Potter travel list [1]. A magical bookstore in Porto, Portugal, called Livraria Lello [2] seriously looks like every book-lover's dream. Not only is it absolutely gorgeous, but it also resembles the famous Hogwarts [3] staircase in Harry Potter [4].

According to AFP, J.K. Rowling would frequent the bookstore [5] when she lived in the city from 1991 to 1993. A nearby cafe called Cafe Majestic is also where the author wrote her first draft of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone [6].

Livraria Lello's stunning twisting staircase and stair bridge would look familiar to any Harry Potter fan. Customers have said that the bookstore even reminds them of Flourish and Blotts [7], where Harry and other students would get their reading materials for school. True or not, the bookstore is completely stunning either way. The stained-glass ceiling includes the Latin phrase Decus in Labore (sounds like a spell to us!), which translates to "Dignity in Work."

Although admission to the bookstore costs three euros, the entrance fee is refunded if you purchase a book. University students also walk around in their traditional uniforms that feature black capes, making them look like Hogwarts students [8] in their robes.

See the photos ahead!

Additional reporting by Lauren Harano


Source URL
https://www.popsugar.com/travel/Harry-Potter-Bookstore-Portugal-42816387