Oporto | The Lello

Of all the famous places in Europe, why did I end up visiting Oporto? Oporto (or Porto, in local language, but I think that is a less distinctive name, so let's stick with Oporto) is the second largest city in Portugal. On the grand scale pf the glamorous European tour however, it is a rather modest town, known mainly for port wine!


Anyhow. The answer to why I end up here can be found in the Lello's Library. No, it's not about the search of some rare books or tomes of secret knowledge, but it is for the search of a stair.


This stair. I saw the photo of this stair on Google Image as I was browsing ryanair's destination list going out from Barcelona. And it looks befuddlingly interesting. I couldn't figure out how does this stair work in 3D. It seems convolutedly elegant, and yet it compactly snug in the small space. Plus, I have soft spot for antique shops, a bookshop no less!


View from the other side of the balcony. And that's a person coming up from the first floor. Do you start seeing how this stair works? It's works like a ribbon weaving in and out and finally parting ways in two. There's four landing along the way, and the red floor material seems to be made out of something like latex.


Looking from the second landing onto the street entrance. The shop makes the simple event of purchasing a book like a scene from a bygone era. There is cart at the other end of the small rail there, that carries books thru and fro the shop.


View of the back of the stairs. Looks like it sits on a Victorian gothic mansions, huh? I love the sight of books.