After listing women who give their names to streets in the capital, São Paulo Secreto took a tour of the streets of the East Zone in search of more cool stories. Below, we’ve listed some of the most important streets in the East Zone and the respective explanations for their names.
East Zone’s most famous roads, avenues and streets
Avenida Alcântara Machado
4.8 kilometers long, it is part of the Mooca Regional Prefecture and connects Rua da Figueira to Avenida Salim Farah Maluf. Its name is a tribute to São Paulo writer António de Alcântara Machado (1901 – 1935). A representative of the modernist movement, his main work is “Brás, Bexiga e Barra Funda”, published in 1928.
Rua Azevedo Soares
It was named after Joaquim José de Azevedo Soares, a distinguished mathematics professor who decided to invest in land in the city. One of the plots of land he acquired was donated to the Brotherhood of the Divine Holy Spirit, on the condition that it would coordinate the construction of a chapel. This is how the Our Lady of Good Delivery Parish came to be, one of the most traditional churches in Tatuapé.
Avenida Sapopemba
Named after two words from the Tupi language: sapo (root) and pem (with protuberances), just like the Sapopema tree. Inaugurated in the 19th century as Estrada de Sapopemba, its name was only changed in 1954 by a law passed by then mayor Jânio Quadros. In all, it is 45 kilometers long, cutting through a total of five sub-prefectures and being considered the second longest avenue in the country.
Ragueb Chohfi Avenue
Part of one of the first generations of Arab immigrants to Brazil, Ragueb Chohfi (1890 – 1983) was an important Syrian textile entrepreneur. In the 1920s, he opened a business on Street 25 de Março and founded, along with other members of Syrian-Lebanese society, the Club Homs, whose headquarters are on Avenida Paulista. The road that bears his name connects the districts of São Mateus and Iguatemi.
Avenida Doutor Eduardo Cotching
Located in Vila Formosa, the avenue pays homage to engineer Eduardo da Fonseca Cotching (1881 – 1930), considered one of the promoters of agricultural development here. He was responsible for setting up the Brazilian Rural Society in 1919, a time when coffee was still Brazil’s main export.
Francisco Marengo Street
Located in the Tatuapé neighborhood, the street pays homage to Italian immigrant Francesco Marengo (1875 – 1959), a pioneer in wine production here in São Paulo. He is also credited with bringing the first niagara grape seedlings to Brazil, which were exported to the United States. His wife, Emília Marengo, also had her name immortalized on another street in Tatuapé.
Avenida Matteo Bei
Matteo Bei (1880 – 1946) was a real estate entrepreneur who, in 1946, bought the plots where São Mateus would later be located. In fact, the avenue that bears his name is currently the main shopping street in the neighborhood.
Avenida Celso Garcia
Its name pays tribute to journalist, lawyer and councillor Afonso Celso Garcia da Luz (1869 – 1908). Considered a defender of the most needy, he managed to approve the creation of special streetcars for workers during his political career. As a journalist, he worked in important newsrooms such as “Gazeta do Povo”, “O Estado de S. Paulo” and “Correio de S. Paulo”.
John XXIII Avenue
The Italian Angelo Roncalli (1881 – 1963) went down in history for his pontificate, for which he chose to adopt the name John XXIII. During his papacy, which lasted just over four years, he implemented a series of important reforms in the church, such as good relations with other religions. He also preached religious freedom and advocated human rights. Because of all this, he is still known today as the “good pope”, one of the best leaders the Catholic Church has ever had.
