Intramuros, Manila

Southern Entrance of Intramuros on Gen Luna Sreet

Few weeks after visiting Rizal Park and the National Museum, I planned to visit Intramuros. It is not my first time to visit the "walled city" but this is my first time to blog about my tour in this place. I have learned new things after reading Journeying James post about Intramuros that made me decide to visit the place again. I usually visit the place during Holy Week for Visita Iglesia. 

I was suppose to visit the place alone but my friend, Romaine, wanted to join the trip after exchanging some text messages (nabasa niya kasi post ko sa facebook about my travels, kaya ayon gusto rin niyang sumama sa lakad ko). I agreed, after all, it has been a couple of years we did not see each other (ang drama ko lang diba, pero totoo yan hehe). After taking my late lunch (that's around 2pm), I prepared and left home. I was really excited about the trip and not only that, I am even more excited to see gah, (tawag yan ng bf niya sa kanya wayback college, haha).

Kakaloka! While on the road, we have been exchanging text messages for updates. I arrived earlier than her (syempre babae siya eh, mabagal kumilos haha ssshhhh). Waiting...waiting... waiting... then suddenly I received a text message from her which made me laugh out loud(in short LOL), she told me she forgot to bring her camera's memory card (ayan kakamadali niya, naiwan pa gamit niya, haizzz mga babae talaga hahahaha kidding). After couple of minutes of waiting her, she finally arrived at the agreed meeting place (beso-beso syempre at hugs hihihi). From there we went directly to Intramuros to start our Sunday afternoon trip. 

While on the street, we talked about what happened in our lives the past few years. If I remember it right, it has been 7 long years we did not see each other after college graduation (haba diba ang tagal, busy kasi siya sa lovelife niya, hehe). So she made kwento about her love life, to cut it short, she is still single. There, we visited the historical Intramuros filled with great memories, stories and laughter. I salute her for appreciating places like this. I appreciate it a lot that I revisited the place with a companion (di naman siya umangal sa kakalakad namin). We ended up having dinner in Binondo after a memorable trip in Intramuros. 

Intramuros is the oldest district and historic core of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Also called as the "walled city". The original City of Manila was the seat of government when the Philippines was a component realm of the Spanish Empire. District beyond the walls were referred as the "extramuros" of Manila, meaning "outside the walls". Intramuros in Latin means "within the walls".  

Silahis Center

cobblestones

 SAN AGUSTIN CHURCH

Oldest stone church in the Philippines. Plans were approved in 1586. Construction started in 1587and completed in 1607 under the supervision successively of Agustinian Fathers Francisco de Bustos, Ildefonso Perez, Diego de Avila and Bro. Alfonso de Perea. Its architect was Juan Macias. It has withstood many earthquakes from 1645 up to the present and survived the British invasion in 1762, the Spanish-American war in 1898 and the Japanese invasion in 1942. 

The church choir has 68 carved molave seats with narra inlaids, an artistic lantern and parchment cantorals of the 17th and 18th centuries. The church and its graves were profaned during the British occupation of Manila in 1762. The ashes of early Spanish conquistadors Legazpi, Salcedo, Lavezares and Blessed Pedro de Zuniga and others now rest in the easternmost chapel of the transept.

Terms for the American occupation of Manila were prepared in the vestry of the church in 1898. The first Philippine Plenary Council was held here in 1953. Chosen as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1993. Click HERE to know more about San Agustin Church. 

UNESCO World Heritage Site: San Agustin Church

main entrance of San Agustin Church

the altar

PLAZA DE SANTA ISABEL

Made part of Santa Isabel College which lacked an open space characteristic of Spanish buildings. Empty lot called Sampalucan along Calle Anda joined to enlarge plazuela in the 18th century.

Restored in 1983. Monument dedicated to the non-combatant victims of the last war erected in 1995 by Memorare Manila 1945.

Plazuela de Sta. Isabel

 MEMORARE - MANILA 1945

This memorial is dedicated to all those innocent victims of war. Many of whom went nameless and unknown to a common grave, or never been knew a grave at all. Their bodies have been consumed by fire or crushed to dust beneath the rubble of ruins.

Let this monument be the gravestone for each and every one of the over 100,000 men, women, children and infants killed in Manila during its battle of liberation, February 3 - March 3, 1945. We have not forgotten them nor shall we ever forget.

May they rest in peace as part now of the sacred ground of this city: the Manila of our Affections. 

February 18, 1995

Memorare Manila Monument commemorating the innocent civilians who died during the liberation of Manila.

graffiti

 PALACIO DEL GOBERNADOR

Here once stood the Palacio del Gobernador. State residence of the Governor-General of the Philippines. First Palace of Palacio Real constructed in 1599 near Plaza de Armas in Fort Santiago. Destroyed in 1645 earthquake. 

Moved to present site. Became Governor-General's residence and office as well as the Real Audencia (Supreme Court). Reconstructed in 1733 and 1747. Damaged in the 1771 earthquake. Spanish-type facade added in 1850. Destroyed in 1863 earthquake. Abandoned when Governor-General moved to Malacañang. 

Used as an air-raid shelter during World War II where 80 male civilians were massacred in 1945. Present building constructed in 1976 to house government offices. It is the former governor's palace and the current Commission on Elections headquarters. 

Palacio del Gobernador 

 MANILA CATHEDRAL

First cathedral built in 1581. Damaged by a typhoon in 1582 and destroyed by fire in 1583. Second cathedral built of stone in 1592 and partially destroyed by the earthquake, 1600. Third cathedral built in 1614 and destroyed by the earthquake of 1645. Fourth cathedral magnificently built in 1654-1671 by Archbishop Miguel Poblete and destroyed by the earthquake of 3 June 1863. Fifth cathedral built in 1870-1879 under architects Luciano Oliver. Vicente Serrano Salaverria and Educardo Lopez Navarro and solemnly blessed in December 1879. 

The center of the cross on the dome is a reference point of astronomical longitudes of the archipelago. Destroyed during the Battle of Manila in 1945. Seventh cathedral reconstructed, 1954-1958, under the direction of Archbishop Rufino J. Santos of Manila, mainly with the support of the people. Fernando Ocampo, Architect.

Visit HERE for the schedule of mass in Manila Cathedral.  

The Manila Metropolitan Cathedral - Basilica

main altar

Manila Cathedral taken at Plaza de Roma

PLAZA DE ROMA

Formerly called Plaza Mayor. Converted into a park in 1797. Renamed Plaza McKinley after US President William McKinley in 1901. Renamed Plaza de Roma in 1961 to honor Sacred College of Cardinals in Rome following elevation of first Filipino cardinal Rufino J. Santos.

Bronze monument to Carlos IV of Spain erected in 1824 as a tribute for the introduction of the smallpox vaccine in the Philippines. Fountain built in 1886. Statue replaced by Gomburza monument in the 1960s. Statue returned in 1981.

Statue of King Carlos IV in Plaza de Roma

Ayuntamiento de Manila

Palacio del Sana 

Bahay Tsino

FORT SANTIAGO

One of the oldest fortifications in Manila. Built in 1571, on the site of the native settlement of Raja Soliman. First fort was a palisaded structure of logs and earth. Destroyed in the Limahong attack in 1574. Stone fort built between 1589-1592. Damaged in the 1645 earthquake. Repaired and strengthened from 1658 to 1663. Became the headquarters of the British occupation army from 1762 to 1764. Repaired and renovated in 1778.

  

Fort Santiago

the reconstructed gate of Fort Santiago

Former headquarters of the Philippine Division of the U.S. Army. Occupied by the Japanese military in 1942 where hundreds of civilians and guerillas were imprisoned, tortured and executed. Destroyed in the Battle of Manila in 1945.

Romaine's favorite shot during the trip :)

Used as a depot of the U.S. Transportation Corps before turnover to the Philippine Government in 1946. Declared Shrine of Freedom in 1950. Restoration and maintenance of the fort began in 1951 under the National Park Development Committee. Management was turned over to the Intramuros Administration in 1992. Know more about Fort Santiago, HERE.