Ilha Fiscal

Rio de Janeiro


This eye-catching lime-green neo-Gothic palace sitting in Baía de Guanabara looks like something out of a child's fairy-tale book. It was designed by engineer Adolfo del Vecchio and completed in 1889. Originally used to supervise port operations, the palace is famous as the location of the last Imperial Ball on November 9, 1889. Today it's open for guided tours, which leave from the dock near Praça XV (Quinze) de Novembro. Purchase tickets from the Espaço Cultural da Marinha.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Rio de Janeiro attractions

1. Espaço Cultural da Marinha

0.57 MILES

Naval enthusiasts shouldn't miss this waterfront museum, a short stroll from Praça XV. It contains the Riachuelo submarine, which you can wander through,…

2. Museu Histórico Nacional

0.64 MILES

Housed in the colonial arsenal, which dates from 1764, the impressive Museu Histórico Nacional contains relics relating to the history of Brazil from its…

3. Museu Naval

0.65 MILES

Chronicling the history of the Brazilian navy from the 16th century to the present, this museum also has exhibitions of model warships, maps and…

4. Arco de Teles

0.66 MILES

The archway leading into Travessa do Comércio was once part of an old viaduct running between two buildings.

5. Travessa do Comércio

0.66 MILES

Beautiful two-story colonial town houses line this narrow cobblestone street leading off Praça XV (Quinze) de Novembro. The archway (Arco de Teles)…

6. Casa França-Brasil

0.66 MILES

In a neoclassical building dating from 1820, the Casa França-Brasil sponsors small-scale exhibitions that often deal with political and cultural facets of…

7. Paço Imperial

0.67 MILES

The former imperial palace was originally built in 1743 as a governor's residence. Later it became the home of Dom João and his family when the Portuguese…

8. Centro Cultural Correios

0.67 MILES

In a grand edifice dating from the 1920s, this cultural center houses three spacious floors that host a creative lineup of changing exhibitions, mostly…