Ilha Fiscal

The building was finished in 1889 as a customs post to inspect cargo entering the bay, and Pedro II asked for something that would not be an eyesore - the architect Adolfo del Vecchio produced a small neo-gothic palace in pale green stone with pinnacles, arched windows and a tower, which is not what customs houses usually look like. Six days before the monarchy fell, on 9 November 1889, it hosted the last imperial ball, an event that has been remembered ever since as the closing scene of the empire; the republic was proclaimed on 15 November. Inside are period rooms, a stained glass ceiling, mosaic floors and a small naval museum. The island is administered by the navy and reached only on their boats, which run on limited days.

History

First called Rat Island, the island took its present name from the customs post that served the imperial capital's port, housed in a neo-Gothic palace built under Pedro II. On 9 November 1889 it held the ball for a visiting Chilean naval delegation remembered as the last ball of the Empire, with a reputed six thousand guests, which Aurélio de Figueiredo painted in 1905, and since 1914 the navy's Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation has been based here (Wikipedia, Ilha Fiscal).

What to look for

• A neo-gothic customs house - pale green stone with pinnacles and a tower.
• The site of the last imperial ball - six days before the monarchy ended.
• Stained glass and mosaic interiors - the period rooms restored inside.
• A bay approach - the crossing from Praca Maua with the city behind.

When to go

All year. Two hours including the crossing.

What to expect

Boats run on limited days with fixed departures and sell out, so book ahead. Visits are guided and mostly in Portuguese. Trips cancel in bad weather or for naval operations. There is little to do on the island beyond the tour.

Nearby

Praca Maua and the Museu do Amanha are at the departure point; the Centro is behind.