not far, ilha fiscal, originally called ilha dos ratos (rats' island) is the location of the old customs house that served rio de janeiro's bustling port in the nineteenth century.    

this is the very beautiful light-blue building that gets immediately noticed when getting on the boats at praça xv going to or coming from niterói.

ilha fiscal, or custom's house island, until recently was also navigational point of reference in the baía de guanabara (guanabara bay).

no longer home to rio's custom house, it has now become one of rio de janeiro's points of interest for visitors and tourists.