stained glass

A generously sized and brightly coloured stained glass window by the Dutch master Samuel Van Krieken embellishes the ceiling of the Most Beautiful Bookshop in the World. 

After being removed and cleaned during the restoration and conservation works, the stained-glass window now presents itself in all its splendour, with its 55 panels set in an iron structure 8 metres long and 3.5 metres wide.
Under the glass can be read "Decus in Labore", which means "Dignity in Work", the golden rule adopted by all those who have worked in this house since 1906.

Tradition dictates that, when restoration is carried out, a subtle detail is added to refer to the era of the intervention. In 2018, the Livraria Lello stained glass window gained a second life and received a smiley, as a contemporary icon. Today, this is now a kind of guardian of the bookstore and a symbol of the joy lived under its roof. Will you be able to spot it during your visit?