Historic palace
Governors' seat.
GLandovsky — CC BY-SA 4.0 · GLandovsky — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Joelkaula — CC BY-SA 4.0 · GLandovsky — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Palácio da Luz is a historic building in central Fortaleza that was the seat of Ceará's state government from the 19th century until 1960 and is now home to the Ceará Academy of Letters. It was built in the late 18th century with the help of Indigenous labour, first as the residence of the captain-major Antônio de Castro Viana, and then became the seat of the town council. In 1814 the imperial government bought it by royal decree, and it became the property of Ceará's government and the seat of its governors for nearly a century and a half, before the government moved to newer palaces. It is protected as state heritage by decisions of 1968, 1983 and 1992. The Ceará Academy of Letters in the palace keeps a library of some 15,000 books open for research and historic rooms holding the memory of the state's government and literature. The building is seen on a walk through historic central Fortaleza, between the Central Market and the José de Alencar Theatre; ask whether its rooms can be visited.
Governors' seat.
15,000 books.
A short walk.
Historic central Fortaleza
Mercado Central, FortalezaThe Mercado Central is Fortaleza's biggest handicraft market, in the city centre6 minutes walk4.3
Theatro José de AlencarThe Theatro José de Alencar is the most beautiful of Fortaleza's historic buildi8 minutes walk4.6
Dragão do Mar Centre of Art and CultureThe Dragão do Mar Centre is a large cultural complex of 30,000 square metres in 12 minutes walk4.4
Ponte dos Ingleses (English Bridge)The Ponte dos Ingleses is a long pier reaching out to sea from Praia de Iracema,18 minutes walk4.6
Praia de IracemaPraia de Iracema is a beach and neighbourhood in Fortaleza named after Iracema, 22 minutes walk4.7The Ceará Academy of Letters and its library of about 15,000 books.