Liberdade: Sao Paulo

Thanks to the construction of the first power station in 1890, electrically-driven trams were introduced to the city. In the 20th Century, industrial development created new urban areas towards the east, west and south, following the railway lines and the Tietê, Tamanduateí and Pinheiros river valleys. Japanese immigrants, who arrived at the beginning of the 20th Century to work in agriculture, settled in what is today one of the most traditional areas of São Paulo: the Liberdade district. Today, this area exhibits many aspects of Japanese culture, including some of the best Japanese restaurants in the world. © WCities