Discover the history of Vila de Taquarussu, a 100-year-old refuge 'hidden' in SP A property with more than a century of history, which received Italian immigrants and, at that time, became a strategic point in the rural district of Quatinga, in Mogi das Cruzes: this is Vila de Taquarussu. Despite its rich past, the place is currently little known even by those who live in the Alto Tietê region. Located almost an hour away from the center of Mogi, a geographical curiosity draws attention: the village is much closer to Santo André, in ABC Paulista. A short car ride of just over 15 minutes is enough to reach the famous district of Paranapiacaba, in the neighboring municipality. ? Click to follow the g1 Mogi das Cruzes e Suzano channel on WhatsApp Someone who knows the story of Taquarussu is Marlene Begliomini. Her grandparents, Marinella and Giuseppe Begliomini, were Italians and moved to Mogi during the First World War, which began in 1914. "During the war, people were experiencing economic problems and left Italy in search of a better life. I don't know who was the first, but someone came to the village, where some Italians already lived, and my grandmother and grandfather, with their brothers, came to try life in Brazil", says Marlene. Vila de Taquarussu is located in the district of Quatinga, in Mogi das Cruzes Larissa Rodrigues/g1 Life in the 'Vila dos Italianos' While Taquarussu was the 'Vila dos Italianos', neighboring Paranapiacaba was the 'Vila dos Ingleses'. A railway connected the two and served to transport goods to the port of Santos on coal trains. The main activity was the manufacture of firewood and charcoal. Over time, a diesel pump – which is still on site – was installed to fuel the trucks. The village had its own grocery store and a school. Diesel pump was used to fuel trucks Larissa Rodrigues/g1 "A peddler was the one who took the products for sale, who, in addition to orders, also sold coffee, rice, beans and other basic goods. Everything was sold in jute bags to the residents. There were almost 100 people who lived there, they had several wooden houses that deteriorated over time", says Marlene. The promise of the chapel The religious tradition is also strong. A mass is celebrated every December 13th in the village chapel, dedicated to Santa Luzia. The reason is a promise. "My father's cousin was an atheist and started to lose his vision. The family made a promise that, if he could see again, they would build the chapel", he says. The temple, begun in 1912, was completed in 1945 and entirely hand-painted by an Italian artist. Chapel was hand painted by Italian artist Larissa Rodrigues/g1 Tradition and new beginnings With the popularization of trucks, the railway and coal lost space. Families left Taquarussu in search of new jobs. Marlene's father, Sirio Begliomini, had a special love for the place and bought the land from family members with whom he had a partnership. But the village became increasingly empty. Currently, only one caretaker and his family are permanent residents. With the site open, acts of vandalism and misuse have become a problem. Therefore, the family had to fence the property. Now, anyone who wants to know the history and nature of the place, which has a lake and waterfall, can visit Vila de Taquarussu by making an advance reservation. It is possible to camp or even stay in the century-old house that has stood the test of time. Visitors can stay in a century-old house Larissa Rodrigues/g1 Watch more news from Alto Tietê