Mogi das Cruzes

Sister cities

• Toyama

History

Mogi das Cruzes began as a village around 1560, serving as a resting place for the bandeirantes and explorers coming and going from São Paulo, including Brás Cubas. In September 1608, the Captain-Major of the Captaincy of São Vicente, Gaspar Conqueiro, granted Gaspar Vaz Guedes a Sesmaria in that location. Gaspar Vaz Guedes was responsible for opening the first road between the capital and Mogi, starting the village, later elevated to a "town", with the name "Vila de Sant'Ana de Mogi Mirim". The fact was made official on September 1, 1611. On March 13, 1865, it was elevated to the status of city, and on April 14, 1874, it was elevated to the status of county. According to historian Isaac Grinberg, the bandeirante Gaspar Vaz, in addition to being responsible for opening and exploring these lands, after acquiring a land grant in the region, was also responsible for the request to elevate the settlement to a town. This occurred in 1611, on the first of September. Mogi das Cruzes welcomes colonies from all corners of the world, with a special emphasis on Japanese colonization, with a large number of Japanese and their descendants (approximately 20% according to the city hall), who are already in their third generation in the municipality. In addition, the municipality has a considerable population from the northeast, with the majority of whom came to the state capital and later moved to Mogi das Cruzes in search of a better quality of life.