Brazilian Academy of Letters, Literary institution in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The Brazilian Academy of Letters is a replica of the Petit Trianon of Versailles in central Rio de Janeiro, with tall halls and rooms for literary gatherings. The building shows neoclassical facades and houses a library with rare manuscripts and personal collections from Brazilian authors.
Machado de Assis and other writers founded the academy in 1896 to care for the Portuguese language and literature in Brazil. The French government gave the current building to the institution in 1923, when it still worked in temporary spaces.
The institution watches over the Portuguese language in Brazil and gathers elected writers in a formal setting. Each of the forty chairs carries the name of an important literary figure from the country's past.
Guided tours show the main rooms and explain the work of the academy during the week. Concerts and public readings happen regularly, and access to the library requires prior registration.
The building is one of the few replicas of European palaces in South America that were fully donated by another country. The architect used the same plans as the original in Versailles, and only the tropical setting sets both locations apart.
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