Why it looks like this

The city's name comes from the 'recife' — the natural reef line that shelters its harbour. The Capibaribe and Beberibe rivers split the centre into islands and peninsulas: the old port on one, the district of Santo Antônio on another, the mainland quarters beyond, all joined by bridges.

For a moment it was Dutch: from 1637 to 1644 Count Maurits of Nassau governed Dutch Brazil from here, building Mauritsstad with canals, bridges and even the Americas' first synagogue, on what is now Rua do Bom Jesus. The 'Brazilian Venice' nickname has stuck to the watery map ever since.