Ilha Fiscal

Ilha Fiscal is a neo-Gothic island palace in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, known as the site of the "Last Ball of the Empire" — the grand gala hosted by Emperor Pedro II just days before the Proclamation of the Republic on 15 November 1889. Designed by engineer Adolfo del Vecchio and completed in 1889, the fairy-tale green structure now forms part of the Navy's cultural heritage complex. Access is exclusively by guided boat tour departing from the Espaço Cultural da Marinha on the waterfront near Praça XV. Tours run Thursday through Sunday.