Walk Down the Lane of Manila City, Philippines
A Brief Historical Tour of this Southeast Asian Metropolis
Oct 4, 2008
Manila City is part of the larger metropolitan area called Metro Manila. It is also the capital of the Philippines. Don’t be fooled by the seemingly grimy façade of this bustling metropolis, just wield through this urban jungle and see the underlying treasures that await each adventurer. Among the various attractions are historical sites that date back to the 1500s.
Intramuros, a City within a City
One of the most visited relics in Manila is the Intramuros. This walled city was built in the 1500’s by the Spanish colonizers. It was originally constructed as a city within a city where the illustrados or the elite families of Spanish descent settled while the vast majority, such as the natives and the Chinese migrants, lived outside. Intramuros was also the center of politics and religious activities during those times. Parts of this city were destroyed during World War II when the Philippines was liberated from its colonizers by American and Filipino soldiers.
Today visitors can tour inside this old fortress since its damaged sections have been rebuilt. While touring this area see the oldest stone church in the country, the San Agustin Church. Another church, the Manila Cathedral is also worth inspecting. The seat of power during the Spanish and American regimes, the Fort Santiago, is also situated within these walls where travelers will find dungeons used for torturing soldiers by the Spaniards then later by the Japanese invaders.
Binondo, Manila’s Chinatown
Binondo, was developed during the late 1500s when the Spanish colonizers gave this particular piece of land to the early Chinese migrants tax-free as explained in http://www.huayinet.org/chinatown/chinatown_philippines.htm. The Chinese who settled in the Philippines during this early colonial era were mostly traders, laborers and artisans making Binondo the main center for commerce in those early days.
When visiting these quaint Chinatown tourists will find horse-drawn carriages, tall glass buildings built near Spanish style houses and a lot of sumptuous delicacies to feed the adventurous dinner! For shoppers, there are a lot of good finds one can buy such as jewelries in Ongpin Street, furniture and fixtures in T. Pinpin Street, and assorted wet/dry goods in Divisoria area.
Rizal Park or Luneta Park
It is hard to believe that this 58-hectare of sprawling green was once a place for execution during the Spanish era. This was where Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero, was executed by the Spaniards in 1898. Located just outside the walled city of Intramuros this area was once a clearing shaped like a half moon hence the name Luneta Park from the word lunettewhich means ‘little moon’ in Spanish.
Rizal Park has become the most famous park in the Philippines and, according to the Wikimapia, this is also considered the “largest park in Southeast Asia”. Visitors will see the Japanese and Chinese gardens, the Orchidarium, the statue of Lapu-lapu who was the first freedom fighter of the country and the monument of Dr. Jose Rizal with two 24-hour guards standing on each side.
Travelers will also enjoy walking along the open spaces or pathways in the early morning or late breezy afternoons since the park is overlooking the Manila Bay. A visit to the National Museum nearby is a must for history buffs!
Visitors to Manila City can use the Light Rail Transit 1(LRT1) or take a taxi to go to these historical sites. These places can be explored on foot. There are also walking tours available for the Intramurous and Binondo areas making the visit more interesting!
