Ponte Maurício de Nassau, Road bridge over the Capibaribe River in Recife, Brazil

Ponte Maurício de Nassau spans the Capibaribe River and connects the districts of Recife and Santo Antônio with five statues positioned at its ends and center. The structure displays architectural features that reflect different phases of its existence and shape the appearance of the central city area.

Constructed in 1644 as Brazil's first major bridge, the structure underwent renovations in 1742 and was rebuilt with iron in 1865. The name honoring a Dutch colonial administrator was adopted in 1917 to recognize a significant figure from the region's early modern history.

The bridge carries five cast-iron statues made at the Val d'Osne foundry in France in 1917: Wisdom, Agriculture, Commerce and Justice stand on pillars at the ends, and a concrete figure of the poet Joaquim Cardoso stands at pedestrian height mid-span. Nine coats of arms of Pernambuco and two plaques from the Instituto Arqueológico, Histórico e Geográfico Pernambucano are also fixed to the structure.

The bridge carries pedestrians and vehicles between the Recife and Santo Antônio districts, linking the old island to the mainland. Its deck is level and bordered by a solid parapet, with small light posts along the way. The four bronze statues stand on pillars at the ends, and the poet Joaquim Cardoso's statue is at pedestrian height mid-span.

Before the 1644 opening, Count Maurice of Nassau promised a flying ox to draw a paying crowd. Using ropes and pulleys, he had a stuffed ox glide from one side of the bridge to the other; the tolls brought in 20,800 florins, at two coins each way per person.