On a summer day in 1918, the Avenue des Portugais was christened. It was a gesture of gratitude, a renaming of the former Avenue de Sofia. This avenue, near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris’s 16th arrondissement, commemorates the 30,000 Portuguese soldiers who fought alongside the Allies in World War I. The Avenue des Portugais is more than just a street. It’s a symbol of Franco-Portuguese camaraderie forged in the crucible of war. Originally named after the Bulgarian capital, the avenue’s renaming was a symbolic rebuke of Bulgaria’s alliance with Germany. The change on July 14th, 1918, reflected the political climate of the time. The Avenue des Portugais, measuring approximately 55 meters long and 26 meters wide, isn’t grand in scale. But it holds immense historical significance. The street signs tell the story. One notes the honor bestowed upon the Portuguese soldiers. Another, added 70 years later by the Portuguese ambassador and the French Secretary of State for Veterans Affairs, reaffirms the shared history of the two nations. A third sign, commemorating the centenary of the renaming, further solidifies this bond. The Avenue des Portugais stands as a quiet reminder of the sacrifices made and the alliances forged during a tumultuous period in history. It’s a testament to how a street name can embody both gratitude and condemnation, forever etching a moment of international collaboration into the Parisian landscape.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to