at a glance

originally called 'ilha dos ratos' (mice island), the name changed when in the 19th century a custom house was built on the island, to house the administration of the local port and trade activities. designed by adolpho del vecchio, the construction of the custom house started in 1881 and finished in 1889 - very characteristic in its looks, the building quickly became a postcard image for the guanabra bay, sporting one of the most easily recognizable façades in rio de janeiro.

the emperor was so impressed by the building that he ordered the ball, which was held in honor of the officers of the chilean navy ship almirante cochrane, to be held there on the 9th of november 1889.  it was an event of unbound ostentation that would go down in history as the very last ball of the imperial era - on the 15th of november a coup d'état brought the end of the monarchy and the advent of the presidential republic.