Local Attractions

Palácio da Luz –The Palace of Light was built in the end of century XVIII, with the help of Indian labour and was the residence of Capitain-Major Antônio de Castro Viana. In 1814, It had been acquired by the Imperial Government. It was also the old seat of State Government. In 1989, the Academy of Letters won it as seat.
Address: Located Downtown, among Sena Madureira, do Rosário, Guilherme Rocha Streets and Praça dos Leões. www.fortaleza.ce.gov.br/fort/roteiro.asp 
 
Public Walk Away - Built in the XIX century, it´s one of the main references of the city´s memory, has already had various names: Largo do Paiol, Largo do Hospital da Caridade, Praça da Misericórdia and in 1879 got to be called Praça dos Mártires, in homage to the leaders of the Confederation of Equator. Tombed by the Institute National Historic and Artistic Property (IPHAN).
Address: Countless Barão de Studart Avenue, Downtown
 
Museum of Ceara - Building erected between the years of 1856 and 1871, sheltered: Ceará´s Academy of Letters, The Legislative of the Province, The College of Law, Public Library. Nowadays it shelters the Museum of Ceará.
Address: 51 São Paulo Street, Downtown, beside Praça dos Leões. www.fortaleza.ce.gov.br/fort/roteiro.asp
 
Jose de Alencar House - Located in the district of Messejana, where the romancist José de Alencar was born, in May 1st 1829. It´s a simple house made of lime bricks, wooded in carnaúba and roofed with tiles, it shelters the ruins of the first steam mill of Ceará and two museums: The Museum of Lace and The Museum Artur Ramos.
Address: Countless Perimetral Avenue, Sítio Alagadiço Novo, Messejana (15 Km from Fortaleza). www.fortaleza.ce.gov.br/fort/roteiro.asp
 
Centro Artesanato do Ceara - Handicraft Sales Center, where you find crafters of all State working, live, in the legitimate Ceará´s handicraft. CEART is a Government Organ that intervenes the sales of the crafters to the final consumption.
Drop by CEART and take Ceará to your house.
Address: 1589 Santos Dumont Avenue, Aldeota. Telephone: 55 85 261-2401 and 55 85 242-6236. www.fortaleza.ce.gov.br/fort/roteiro.asp
 
Dragão do Mar Center of Art and Culture - Dragão do Mar Center of Arts and Culture was officially inaugurated in April 28th 1999. With an area of 30.000 square meters with slopes and footbridges that are interlinked, making a complex of cultural equipments, sheltering: The Museum of Contemporary Art, The Memorial of Ceara´s Culture, Two Cinema Rooms, Theater, Antitheatre, Bookshop, Handicraft Store and The Planetarium Rubens de Azevedo.
Address: 81 Dragão do Mar Avenue, Praia de Iracema.  www.dragaodomar.org.br 
 
Estoril Cultrural Center - Built in 1925, the house had the name of the romance (Vila Morena). At the Military Regime time, the bar turned into the meeting point of followers and intellectuals of the against side of the Government, where, during a long time, it was the point of the boemy of Ceará. Nowadays it shelters a restaurant and a Gallery of Art.
Address: 397 Tabajaras Street, Praia de Iracema, nextdoor to Pirata Bar.  www.fortaleza.ce.gov.br/fort/roteiro.asp
 
English Bridge - English Bridge, also called Metal Bridge. During a long time it was the meeting point of the boemy of Ceará, nowadays, totally rebuilt, it possesses a wood platform with security bars, pubs, restaurants, an observatory to see dolphins (LABOMAR) and a Bookshop (LEC - Livraria do Escritor Cearense).
Address: Praia de Iracema walk way, Praia de Iracema, next to Pirata Bar.  www.fortaleza.ce.gov.br/fort/roteiro.asp
 
José de Alencar Theater - It´s an important architectonic and cultural frontier of Fortaleza, built between 1908 and 1910, the architectonic project of the Theatre synthesizes a little of what Fortaleza was in the first decade of this century. In 1996, it was inaugurated the Center of Dramaturgy Studies (CENA), with a mini theatre, space for workshops, library and art gallery.
Address: Praça José de Alencar, Downtown.  www.fortaleza.ce.gov.br/fort/roteiro.asp
 
FORRÓ - Fortaleza is also famous for its Forró (Brazilian folkloric dance). Do not forget to go to a “danceteria” to enjoy it.