Intramuros' 27 Points of Interest
One of the best ways to see and enjoy the walled city of Intramuros in Manila is simply to walk. A walk within Intramuros means reliving Manila’s illustrious centuries. The leisurely walk while savoring the rich historical past of Intramuros is likewise beneficial to our health.
I just hope that the government can do something about the informal settlers that invaded the walled city. This is a historical site and should be preserved for posterity. The presence of informal settlers is not only an eyesore for tourists but likewise poses danger to various historical structures within Intramuros.
Intramuros has a lot to offer aside from those gigantic walls initially built as a defense against pirates. As a guide, the Intramuros Administration listed “27 Points of Interest” within the walled city –
“1. Fort Santiago – one of the oldest fortifications in Manila. Built in 1571, on the site of the native settlement of Raja Soliman;
2. Palacio del Gobernador – state residence of the Governor-General of the Philippines. First palace or Palacio Real constructed in 1599 near Plaza de Armas in Fort Santiago;
3. Postigo del Palacio – built in 1662. Led to the palaces of the Governor-General and the Archbishop of Manila. National hero Jose Rizal passed through this gate from Fort Santiago to his execution site at Bagumbayan in 1896.
4. Puerto de Sta. Lucia – Built in 1603, this was one of the original entrances to the Walled City.
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| Manila Metropolitan Cathedral |
5. ECJ Building – the Casa Nueva or the provincial house of the Augustinian Order. Built-in 1895 and connected to San Agustin convent by an ornate covered walkway over Calle Real.
6. Baluartillo de San Jose – a tunnel-like passage built in with a drainage canal emptying out into the moat, its primary use was to transport ammunition to Reducto de San Pedro. The site was known as ‘No. 1 Victoria St.,’ when it served as Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s headquarters in 1941.
7. Reducto de San Pedro – this is an independent pentagonal structure built outside the walls. It has its own stockpiles of cannon balls deposited in recessed ledges at the entrance.
8. Bagumbayan Light and Sound Museum – this lot was the former site of the convent of the nus of the Beaterio de la Compania de Jesus no the Religious of the Virgin Mary.
9. Baluarte de San Diego – designed and built by Jesuit priest Antonio Sedeno from 1586 to 1587. It is one of the oldest stone fortifications in Intramuros.
10. Puerta Real – built in 1663. Used exclusively by the Governor General for state occasions.
11. Revellin de Real de Bagumbayan – Ravelin converted into Manila Aquarium during the American period. Used as prison cells and barracks during the Japanese occupation.
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| Monument of Carlos IV of Spain in Plaza Roma |
12. Baluarte de San Andres – built in1603. Designed to protect the old Puerta Real and reinforce the southeastern part of Intramuros. Reconstructed in 1733 with the addition of a bombproof arsenal for gunpowder, a watchtower (Garita) and a soldier’s barracks.
13. Revellin de Recoletos – built in 1771. Named after the Recoletos church nearby. Also known as Revellin de Dilao. Built to strengthen the defense of the curtain wall between Baluarte de Dilao and Baluarte de San Andres.
14. Baluarte de Dilao – built in 1592 as part of the original fortifications. Also known as San Lorenzo, San Francisco de Dilao or simply Dilao.
15. Puerta del Parian - named after the Parian de Arroceros across the city where the Chinese merchants lived. Built in 1593. One of the earliest entrances to Intramuros.
16. Revellin del Parian – Ravelin built in 1603 following Chinese uprising. Used as defense line between the curtain walls of Baluarte de San Andres and the Parian Gate.
17. Baluarte de San Gabriel – built in 1593, this was the Walled City’s most important defense in the north that protected the riverside. Rampart cannons overlooked the Parian in Binondo.
18. Puerta de Isabel II – opened in 1861. The last gate to be built in Intramuros. Part of the route of Tranvia (streetcar) in the 19th century.
19. Aduana (Customs House) – designed by Tomas Cortes and built from 1823 to 1829. Housed the Customs offices, the Intendencia General de Hacienda (Central Administration, the Treasury, as well as the new Casa de Moneda (Mint).
20. Plaza Sto. Tomas – lot originally purchased by the Dominican Order in 1627 for their cemetery and garden. Bought by the City government in 1861 as a public plaza.
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| Memorare Manila at Plazuela de Santa Isabel |
21. Ayuntamiento (Casa Consistoriales) – seat of the City Council of Manila. First structure built from 1599 to 1607.
22. Plaza de Roma – formerly called Plaza Mayor. Converted into a part in 1797. Bronze monument to Carlos IV of Spain erected in 1824 as a tribute to the introduction of smallpox vaccine in the Philippines. Fountain built in 1886.
23. Manila Metropolitan Cathedral – this is the eight structure to rise on this site. The first cathedral was built of nipa in 1571 and was razed by fire in 1583.
24. Bahay Tsinoy (Kaisa Heritage Center) – a museum that showcases the tangible imprints and lasting influence of the Chinese whose presence in the Philippines dates back long before the Europeans sought alternate routes to the Moluccas.
25. Plazuela 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.
26. San Agustin Church and Convent – San Agustin Church is the oldest church in the Philippines. Known as the Church of Saint Paul, the first church of the Augustinian Order was built in 1571. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
27. Plaza San Luis Complex – named after one of the barrios of old Intramuros, this is a cultural-cum-commercial complex of nine houses representing designs of Philippine-Hispanic architecture. Aside from gift and specialty shops, a fine dining restaurant and a hotel, the complex features Casa Manila, a museum showing the affluent lifestyle at the turn of the 20th century.”
For any inquiries, you may call the Intramuros Visitors Center ([632]-5272961), Fort Santiago Office ([632]-5271572), Plaza San Luis Complex ([632]-527-4084/527-4088 and the Intramuros Administration ([632]-5273138/5273084).
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