Ilha Fiscal

Taking advantage of the Saturday of blue sky, added to carioquinha discount, I decided to visit the Fiscal Island. As my double was out on the river, I dragged my adventure partner and pierced to go with me, Mom!!

We at 9:45 Cup, We took a bus with air on Av. Nossa Senhora de Copacabana towards the street March 1 and 15 minutes later we were there. For those who are leaving the South to March 1, SUPER recommend going by bus, Since the weekend traffic is almost zero and plus you get in the door of almost every Museum from the Center, You can still enjoy the view of the tour, all over the beach of Botafogo and Flamengo Park.

As we arrived well before the opening of the Naval Museum, We would like to take a walk in the handicraft market of Praça XV. The fair, happens every Saturday and you find a all! Clothes, fur coats, silver flatware, crystals, figurines, Helmets, knives…I could spend a day describing the peculiarities that are possible to find there. (Who knows, maybe soon I don't do?) The fair was under the Perimetral, but after demolition, moved to the square in front of the Imperial Palace. I thought great the occupation, so the square comes alive every Saturday.

Because of the construction of Perimetral, to buy the ticket of the tour to the island's tax need to go to the Naval Museum is next to the building of the CHAMBER. I strongly recommend getting some 5 / 10minutes before the Museum opening. Although the boat had a capacity for 90 persons , the speed at which fills up after the museum open is scary. We arrived 5 for the 11:00 and had a crowd in the queue. While we waited for open, a museum guide was walking the line in explaining the timetables and we need take on the sidewalk.

The first time visiting the island is 12:30 and you need to be 20 minutes before the time in front of the Museum to be driven to the boat. They have other tours such as Ilha das Cobras and Guanabara Bay, It's in another time. The tip of the Guide, If you want to do both tours in the same day was: take the first time to tax the last Island to the Guanabara Bay. After buying the ticket (in a line that took a long to the size that had), We went out to have a snack, as we had been informed, the ride lasts around 2:00 and no place to buy food or drinking water (It seems that the fountain was in retirement). But there's a bathroom! At the Naval Museum itself has where to buy water and food, they have a deli with super fair prices. But as people are unhealthy, We return to the feira da Praça XV and docked with a cheesecake. As we still had about 30 minutes until the time we take to meet the Naval Museum is free.

 

Gives here as was the visit!

12: 30 o'clock we left escorted by members of the Navy to the pier. Go through all the Praça XV. As the Navy Museum is disabled because the works of the Perimetral the ride's leaving the Naval Museum and the foot come to the pier at the Navy Museum. On the website they warn that despite the ride normally be done by the schooner Nogueira da Gama, When the same is under maintenance or weather conditions do not allow, the tour is done by minibus. Access to schooner is accomplished through the tugboat, we boarded him, We crossed and we embarked on the schooner on the other side.

After embarking, in 15 minutes we dock on the island. The Group of 90 people were divided into 3 groups of 30 between the 3 guides. Our guide Mariana, It was extremely friendly and irreverent telling the story of the fiscal Island.

Fiscal Island, formerly called The island of Rats, began to be planed and grounded in 1881 to receive a Customs Office. With a privileged location, facing the entrance to the Bay, facilitated the monitoring of all ships and boats wanted unload their goods in town. The principle, It would be a simple construction without major refinements, but when the Emperor Pedro II was the island the space fell. Therefore, turned to the engineer Adolpho Del Veccio, and said that "case" so beautiful (referring to the Guanabara Bay with crystal clear water at the time, dolphins and fishes, the stunning views of the city centre with buildings well lower than the current, all the river mountains on the horizon, Sugar Loaf without the cable car, the corcovado without Christ) deserved a shining jewel. The architect got the message, and in love with the Provencal Gothic style, changed the whole design to meet the request of the Emperor. The project was so magnificent that won the gold medal at the exhibition of the Imperial Academy of fine arts, under the following justified.

“The planned construction, having to be raised in isolation on an island, projecting on a background formed by capricious Serra dos Órgãos, surmounted by vast horizon, and facing the entrance to the Bay, should impress pleasing to that penetrate the harbor, high enough so that it could easily be seen from any point between the rig of vessels, and at the same time provide the supervision of anchorage.“

– Quote taken from the Rio website –

The work lasted 7 years, taking into account the speed of current works and the fact that they used to access the island was only by boat (the connection with the Mainland was only made in 1930), It was a quick work. In 27 April 1889, the Customs Office was opened. The "Castle" is all worked in stained glass, made in England because at the time the English were experts in the technique of stained glass paintings. All details and stone portals of cantareira were made by slaves or artisans sculptures, all meticulously worked with chisels and gouges, a spectacle to see such perfection fittings.

The stones used are the same type of stone that makes up the Sugar Loaf, but those used at work were taken from the Morro do Pasmado. Right in the center of the facade is possible to admire the only remaining Royal family's coat of arms in Rio de Janeiro. According to our guide, Mariana, during the Republican revolt all the symbols of the Empire were destroyed, the island's only escaped because they argued that it was an award-winning construction, another one just like this only in the Imperial Museum in Petrópolis. The coat is and never issue any commemorative Brazilian flag. The symbol of the Bragança family, the sphere that symbolises the Portuguese conquests in the world and 26 stars around representing the 26 provinces that belonged to Brazil in time, framed by 2 Griffins or dragons (in my view are clearly Gryphons) holding two branches, a coffee maker and a tobacco, symbolizing the 2 major economies of the time. The symbol of the Royal family carved in stone is 3D, the sphere of the Portuguese conquests is leaked, simply amazing work! Imagine the work and care necessary to carve it.

With the guide through the exhibition blue Amazon, which shows the entire coast of Brazil and its exploration potential. Then we went up to the room of the Admiral, for a beautiful spiral staircase made of stone, the fittings are absolutely perfect. The room is a show the part. The whole wall decorated, Although opinion wallpaper (and at that time already exists) is painting. The floor is all worked up in rare Woods. And the stained glass Windows, beautiful, represent the Emperor with the family crest and coat of arms of the Duchy of Saxony. On the other side the Princess Elizabeth with the coats of arms of the father (Bragança) and the husband (Orleans). In this room during the last dance of the Empire, that's where they switched the flags between Brazil and Chile.

The last part of the tour is in a room where there is a large painting representing the last dance of the Empire. The painting is a copy since the original is in the national historical Museum. In addition to a super cool video where an aristocrat pretends to be talking to the Baroness tells us that as would be the prom.

The last dance of the Empire occurred in 9 November 1889, on the eve of the Republican revolution. It was a party to reaffirm the power of the monarchy and to mediate with officers of the Chilean ship Admiral Cochrane. Scheduled a grand ball for more than 1500 people on Fiscal Island. Place had bathroom…just imagine 1500 people to 10 hygienic chairs, those of wood, with a hole in the middle and a pot of dishes down. As our guide said, in your humble opinion: "that was the day the Guanabara Bay began to be polluted". Games part, that's the ball that the Emperor stumbled down the boat and left the famous words: “the monarch stumbles but monarchy doesn't fall!” – If he knew what was going to happen days after.

As nobody had never inhabited the island, all the furniture used in the party were rented. While the material of everyday use stored underground. On the front of the Castle a great table was placed for the buffet self-service and on the back 2 U desks were placed for a dinner a la carte for about 500 persons .

The order of the tour may vary, but in the end, the important thing is to know the island. As passionate about history, I can say it was very nice to have known this "jewel" and have done even briefly this time travel.

Mariana, We love to visit! Recommend very!! And that you continue this irreverent and sympathetic Guide!

General information

Duration of the tour

Around 2:30

Timetables

From Thursday to Sunday | 12:30 tours ; 14h and 3:30 pm
Always good to check directly in the site the Museum, because eventually may have a change

Price

One piece $ 25 ( price 2015 )

Half R$ 12* ( price 2015 )

 

Free Do not pay tickets children up 2 years and tourism guide in conduct of activity.

*Pay half price the military & dependants, over 60 years, under 21 years, teachers, public server, people with special needs and students over 21 years. All with due confirmation

– Info taken from the Sea 1000 site –