The grandeur of the Intramuros

The grandeur of the Intramuros

By By Manta Klangboonkrong
DAILY XPRESS, Manila
Published on July 17, 2009
Manila began as a walled Spanish fortress, and much of the colonial|setting's charm has been restored


The Philippines is a huge country with its thousands of little islets and immensely diverse in terms of culture as well. As a first-time visitor with only one day, fully devoted to Manila, my best option to see as much culture as possible was the Intramuros.


The word is Latin for "within the walls", and it's a good name for this (formerly) walled city erected by the Spanish during their 16th-century occupation of Manila.


This alone was Manila at the time, in fact, a colony covering less than a square kilometre, enclosed within a fortress with a moat, churches and the homes of high-ranking Spanish officers and the local elite.


The thick stone wall was typical of mediaeval Spanish bastions elsewhere in the world, but here it was rendered unique by its the setting among tropical flora, not to mention the highly diverse local community.


Sadly, very little remains of the great wall, only remnants left over from the combined assault of American and Philippines commonwealth troops during World War II. Flushing out the occupying Japanese turned the fortress into rubble.


In the 1980s, though, the Intramuros itself was restored, and today this is the only district of Manila where the old Spanish-era influence lingers, a souvenir of colonial times.


You can stroll around the old town or hop on one of the decorated horse-drawn carriages called calesa. There are quite a few historical buildings to see, including San Augustin Church, which has a stunning interior, and the Manila Cathedral, elevated to the rank of minor basilica in 1981 by Pope John Paul II.

Saintly statues


You'll see many old office buildings in grand nostalgic styles, such as the Palacio del Gobernador, now government offices, and the Casa Manila Museum. Statues of Spanish kings and Catholic saints stand in small, shady gardens at every turn.


Fort Santiago is a former military base that's now home to breathtaking gardens and offers a mix of historic features and refreshing drinks.


And you can't leave Manila without a nod to the Philippines' national heroes in the 60-hectare Rizal Park, not far from the Intramuros.


Here you can pay tribute at the execution site and tomb of activist and scholar Dr Jose Rizal and the larger-than-life statue of Lapu-Lapu, the first native son to resist Spanish colonisation.