Cais José Estelita, Historical pier in central Recife, Brazil

Cais José Estelita is a wharf on Antônio Vaz Island in Recife, linking the Cabanga and São José neighbourhoods along the Pina Basin. It was created as landfill to connect Forte das Cinco Pontas with Forte Príncipe Guilherme. Across the basin stand warehouses of the former Federal Railway Network, and the wharf itself is bordered by the water of the basin.

Built in 1858 for the Recife-São Francisco Railway, the pier served as a major hub for storing and shipping sugar throughout the 1800s. This role made it central to the city's economic life for well over a century.

The name Estelita refers to the old railway yard, and the site is now known for "Ocupe Estelita," an occupation movement that began in 2014 when the Novo Recife Consortium started demolitions. Residents, architects and artists camped there to demand environmental impact studies and a redesign of the 100,000 m², ten-tower project. The mobilisation was called a "new manguebeat" and sparked similar urban debates across Recife.

The area is accessible from Miguel Arraes Avenue with planned pedestrian access points and cycling paths leading to the waterfront. Visiting during daytime hours gives you the best light for viewing the structures and walking comfortably along the water.

The land the pier occupies did not exist before the early 20th century: it was created by landfill to link Forte das Cinco Pontas with Forte Príncipe Guilherme. The Recife–São Francisco Railway, Brazil's second, opened here in February 1858, and the warehouses stored sugar from the cane-growing zone.