Joanna James
The sluggish pace of repairs and restorations hasn't deterred a rising number of visitors willing to endure the squalor and narrow pathways of Manila's oldest quarter to visit the Walled City of Intramuros.
Fort Santiago, which was established in 1571 on the ruins of a palisaded Tagalog fort, is possibly where the capital Manila all started. Fort Santiago was utilised as a military station by the Americans in the early twentieth century. Fort Santiago is now being repaired and refurbished and has become quite tourist-friendly. Today, a café, art gallery, and the Intramuros Visitors Centre are located atop the Baluartillo de San Francisco Javier. All worth a visit!
Despite its appearance, the Plaza San Luis Complex originates from the 1970s. The complex consists of five buildings constructed around a modest inner square. The structure is supposed to resemble a wealthy Spanish-Filipino ilustrado's home. The Plaza San Luis Complex now includes a restaurant, a budget hotel, retail outlets, travel services, and a museum. If you would like to find a fully serviced apartment here, you can check out an Alabang serviced apartment the likes of Somerset Alabang Manila, which is just a 34-minute drive from Plaza San Luis Complex.
This huge Baroque cathedral was erected in 1606 and has survived natural disasters and wars. Also, the trompe l'oeil ceilings, the High Renaissance façade, and the monastery or museum are the greatest places to visit in Intramuros for spiritual enlightenment. The museum has an extraordinary collection of religious art dating back to the early Spanish presence here in the Philippines. The hallway paintings represent historical and fanciful Church settings. The halls are now galleries displaying Catholic relics and antiquities from all over Asia.
Plaza Roma at Intramuros used to be the Philippines' economic, political, and spiritual powerhouse. This square is flanked by many important places; the eastern side has the Ayuntamiento and the Intramuros municipal hall, on the western side you can find the Governor-Palace; and on the southern side, you can find the Manila Cathedral. Only the Manila Cathedral nowadays is available to the public and still performs its original function. The current cathedral edifice was not erected in 1571; the preceding seven were burned to the ground by earthquakes and WWII.
The Chinese have been present in the Philippines longer than the Spanish, and of the 2 non-indigenous cultures present in the country, the Chinese have been the most successful in assimilating into Filipino society. Throughout this huge museum, the narrative of the Chinese and Filipino people is portrayed in considerable detail. This historical novel starts with the itinerant Chinese merchants who did business with local chieftains before the advent of the Spaniards and continues with modern-day "Tsinoy" success tales such as the late Cardinal Jaime Sin and ex-president Corazon Aquino. History-related artefacts are on display all through the museum, along with priceless relics from numerous Chinese dynasties as well as depictions of remarkable Tsinoy families.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
