Mauricia, as he named it, took just seven years to construct and was planned along European lines, complete with paved roads, a marketplace, palaces, a zoo stocked with animals imported from Africa and regions of Brazil, botanical gardens, the first observatory of the Americas, a museum, hospitals, and a library.
Mauricia, nagu van Nassau linna nimetas, kerkis vaid seitsme aastaga ning meenutas Euroopa linnasid. Mauriciasse rajati isegi sillutatud teed, turg, paleed, Aafrikast ning Brasiiliast pärit loomadega loomaaed, botaanikaaed, Ameerika esimene observatoorium, muuseum, haiglad ja raamatukogu.