ilha fiscal tour
Thansk to the very helpful tour guide, I have wrote down her words and recorded here...
This place where we are is called Fiscal Island, and it was once a patrimony of the Treasury (Customs) Ministry. The area of this island is nowadays 7.000 square meters. The first project for the Custom House building was very simple, but one day, in 1881, our last Emperor D. Pedro II came here and fell in love with the beauty of the island. As you can see, the island is surrounded by mountains. Then he asked Dr Del \/ecchio, Chief Engineer of the Treasury Ministry to make a project for the new Custom House . As Dr. Del Vecchio loved the Gothic style, he decided to make the project like a castle of France of the XIV th century.
The works on the building lasted about 7 years and a half. The stones (Alguen Gneiss) used on it came from the Pasmado Hill, at Botafogo district, near from the Sugar Loaf, and the carved stone work was made by the Portuguese with the support of the slaves.
This was hand maded work is known as CANTARIA which is a special technique mastered by the Portuguese to cut the stones. The constructed area is 1.200 square meters. And the building is 53 meters high. The small building on your right is original from 1890 to 1892 and the one on your left is not original, it was only built around 1920.
LIGHTINING RODS They are oginaIs and made on wrought iron and only the capes are new.
CERIMONIAL AREA The Island became famous because of the last ball of the Brazilian Empire, which was held here on November 9th, 1889 and the Republic was proclaimed on November 15, 1889.
The stained Glasses were made in England and were painted in fire.
It was difficult to describe the luxury and the beauty of the decoration, the illumination, flowers and food. There were about 2.000 guests in this party. This ball was held as a retribution for the excellent reception the Brazilian Navy had by the Chileans when they went to Valparaiso. The ball was supposed to be held Ofl October 19th, but as King Luis, from Portugal, died they has to postpone it to the November.
This painting is a reproduction the original one, made by Aurelio Figueiredo, in 1905, is at the National Historical Museum. It represents the Last Ball of the Monarchy. It shows the Brazilian Royal Family D. Pedro II, Princess Isabel The author intended to show three different moments a woman carrying a flag meaning that the Republic was Coming. A symbol of the Princess Coronation representing the Monarchy leaving. The dark clouds in the center means the turbulent moment, ThIs place was used by the Brazilian Royal family to the rest of them during the famous ball.
Everything here was made according to the style of the period of the lattes 1gth century, but they are reproductions. Only a few things are original and belong to the Navy Museum.
The chandelier and the Iampshades made on crystal are originals from the beginning of the XXth century.
COAT-OF-ARMS Now let s look at the Brazilian Imperial coat-of-arms , designed by Jean-Baptiste Debret, a French painter. This is the only imperial coat of arms nowadays left, a the others were destroyed by the Republicans. The dragons are decoratives. The one on the left is holding a branch of coffee and the other holding one of tobacco which were the main economic products of that time. The armiflary sphere, symbolizing the routes performed by the Portuguese around the globe. The little stars are the symbol of our provinces, at the time. At the top is the beautiful Imperial Crown.
THE NOBLE ROOM (THE TOWER) There are 38 steps to reach the room in a spiral stair with perfect symmetry. (There is no banister and the illumination and ventilation area natural) The work done at the stairs were hand maded. Here used to be the Custom Manager s office and later on in 1914 the Admiral s office. You can see the same four columns in gneiss as well as the arches.
THE NOBLE ROOM (THE TOWER) There are 38 steps to reach the room in a spiral stair with perfect symmetry. (There is no banister and the illumination and ventilation area natural)
The work done at the stairs were hand maded. Here used to be the Custom Manager's office and later on in 1914 the Admiral s office.
You can see the same four columns in gneiss as well as the arches. The center of the ceiling is original (cobalt blue) but the laterals have been painted in the same way as it was once in the beginning.
The golden frets around the stones as well as the stars are also original.
The crystal and bronze chandelier is also original. The furniture was made in embuia wood in 1933.
The stained glasses rosettes, fire colored came from England. On your left you will look at the picture of the Emperor D. Pedro II and on your right the one of Princess Isabel.
BACKYARDS During the ball, in this very area has 2 bands at this corner, and two dinning tables for the Emperor and the Higher Authorities.
The floor is a mosaic made in gothic style with the combination of 16 different species. At this place during the ball the Brazilian and the Chilean authorities performed a dance of Brazilian wood, from the Atlantic forest.
SQUARE OF ARMS Look at the beauty of this area all made in carved stone, by the Portuguese and with the support of the slaves. The perfect final touch gives the impression of having been made of a simple monolith. Whale oil, shell and river sand were used to fix the stones.
Look at the walls, the four coat-of-arms in carved stone show a hatches, a dagger, and a ball with a chain used as a weapon.
AMAZON AREA This display shows the work of the Navy does for the poor population at the riverside.
Their hospitals are only 3 ships, where they do small surgeries, dental and medical treatments.
Those boats are caNed Navio Esperanca - which means hope as people wait anxiously for their arrival.
The thick water of the Negro River ward of the thinner brown water of the SolimOes River thus prevents them from mixing. These two rivers form the Amazon River.
Patrol boats prevent the predatory fishing and the smuggling.
PANTANAL AREA This is the Paraguay River and the Navy also has a ship that does medical and dental treatments.
(so much marketing for the navy as this place is owned by them)
The gates in gothic style are original and made on wrought iron. The dragons are decoratives and the Fleurs de Lys are the symbol of the House of Orleans.
The chandelier is original and also made on wrought iron. The color of the castle painted in green is a copy of the original.
The photo at the entrance shows a sunset at Pantanal Mato Grosso.
Stained- glasses windows are original. Please look at the picture of Emperor D. Pedro II and of Dr. Del Vecchio on your right. Going back in time, here we can see some of the clothes and garments from the 19th century.
The invitation on your right is a reproduction (copy).
Some very old navy devices. The bottle is original from the late XIX s century. From this door on we will tell you something about the Economical Programs Developed by the Brazilian Navy.
(I didn't take any photos of these exhibits as they are mainly propaganda materials)
REVIZEE PROGRAM It was project in researching the resources of the sea, to also establish the potential of our Special.Economic Zone- 200 miles. This project covered all the natural resources from North to South coast of our country. In Brazil we have around 4 million people Working in the fishing area. The Navy, some Universities and the Fishing Industry worked together to establish the kind of fishes that can be found in each area and the best time for fishing them as well as on how to preserve the environment. it is already concluded and nowadays they only do its maintenance.
(I didn't take any photos of these exhibits as they are mainly propaganda materials)
LEPLAC It was a project to establish the legal external limits of the BrazWafl continental shelf.
This is a legal project backed by the United Nations and it is already concluded. We already found out that our continental limits are not only 200 miles but also 350 miles in certain parts of the country.
We are still waiting for the legal response of the United Nations.
(I didn't take any photos of these exhibits as they are mainly propaganda materials)
THE ANTARTIC STATION COMANDANTE FERRAZ Brazil established the Station Commandant Ferraz in 1984. It was designed with containers and the constructed area has 2.250 square meters. We do biological, eteorologicat and oceanographic researches and our staff is about 53 people, who stay around 13 months at the station. Please look at the red light on the map. It is the King George s Island, where our station is located.
(I didn't take any photos of these exhibits as they are mainly propaganda materials)
PROANTAR Today there are 28 countries with 40 bases: Brazil, China, Republic of Korea, India, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, South Africa, Australia Argentina, Chile, Equator, Peru, Uruguay, USA, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Finland, France, Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Poland, England, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Russia.
Exploration of the soil is forbidden until 2048. The research elements are already known as: silver, copper, lead, zinc, and enormous coal deposits, tin, platinum, chrome and nickel; iron, enormous quantities of petroleum which represents 50 billions of barrels corresponding to 15% of the reserves from the Medium Orient. On the deep ocean we found polimethalic nodules rich in manganese, iron, nickel, cobalt and copper.
(I didn't take any photos of these exhibits as they are mainly propaganda materials)
CLOCK At the top of the building we have a original manual clock made in Germany, by the Krusmann House. It is necessary two people to wind it up twice a week.