Ironically, the district of Old Recife, site of the original settlement, which for centuries clung tenaciously to the mainland by a sliver of sand, was finally severed from the continent with the expansion of port facilities in 1960.
On paradoksaalne, et vana Recife ehk paik, kus asus algne koloonia, oli sajandeid liivaribaga maismaa külge aheldatud, kuid lahutati maismaast sadama laiendustöödega 1960. aastatel.