Intramuros
Encyclopedia
Intramuros is the oldest district in the present day city of Manila
, the capital of the Republic of the Philippines. Nicknamed the "Walled City", Intramuros is the historic fortified
city of Manila, the seat ot the government during the Spanish Colonial Period. Its name in Latin, intramuros, literally means "within the walls". Districts beyond the walls of Manila were referred to as extramuros, literally "outside the walls."
The city was located then along Manila Bay
and south of the Pasig River
entrance, before 20th-century reclamations
obscured the city from the bay. Guarding the city is Fort Santiago
, a citadel
located at the mouth of the river. Construction of its thick defensive walls were started by the Spaniards
in the late 16th century to protect the seat of the Spanish government from foreign invasions (most notably British and Dutch) and raiding Chinese sea pirates.
In an October 2010 report titled Saving Our Vanishing Heritage
, the Global Heritage Fund
identified Intramuros along with Fort Santiago
, as one of 12 worldwide sites "On the Verge" of irreparable loss and destruction, citing insufficient management and development pressures.
, made it an ideal location for Tagalog
and Kapampangan
tribes and kingdoms to trade with other Asian civilizations, including Chinese, Indian and Islamic merchants who had come from China, India, Borneo and Indonesia.
Before the first arrival of Europeans in Luzon
, it became part of Indianized empire of Majapahit around the 14th century, according to the epic eulogy poem Nagarakretagama
which inscribed its conquest by Maharaja
Hayam Wuruk
. The region was invaded around 1485 by Sultan Bolkiah
and became part of the Sultanate of Brunei
. The site of Intramuros was part of the Islamic kingdom of Maynila
ruled by Datu
s, Rajahs and the Sultan
.
explorers led by Miguel López de Legazpi
sailed from Mexico
, and arrived on the island of Cebu
on February 13, 1565, establishing the first Spanish colony in the Islands. Having heard of the rich resources of Manila from the natives, López de Legazpi dispatched two of his lieutenant-commanders, Martín de Goiti
and Juan de Salcedo
to explore the northern regions of the Visayas
.
In 1570, the Spaniards arrived in the island of Luzon
. After quarrels and misunderstandings had erupted between the Islam
ic natives and the Spaniards, both groups fought for the control of lands and settlements. In 1571, after several months of warfare, the natives were defeated, and the Spaniards made a peace pact with the Muslim tribal councils of Rajah Sulaiman III, Rajah Lakandula
, and Rajah Matanda
; who, in return, handed over Manila to the Spaniards.
Citing the rich resources and location of Manila, López de Legazpi declared the area as the new capital of the Spanish colony on June 24, 1571 and proclaimed the sovereignty
of the Monarchy of Spain over the whole group of islands. The King of Spain, Philip II
delighted at the new conquest achieved by López de Legazpi and his men, awarded the city a Coat of arms
and declaring it Ciudad Insigne y Siempre Leal ("Distinguished and ever loyal city"). Intramuros became the center of political, military and religious power of the Spaniards during the time the Philippines was a colony of Spain.
, the sixth governor-general
on the islands. The plans for Intramuros were approved by King Philip II of Spain
's Royal Ordinance issued in San Lorenzo, Spain.
Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, the next governor, brought with him from Spain the royal instructions to carry into effect the above decree. Hence the work began in 1590 and continued under many governors till 1872. As this construction was carried on during different periods, often far apart, the building was not executed, therefore, according to any uniform plan.
Gov. Juan de Silva
executed certain work on the fortifications in 1609 which was improved by Juan Niño de Tabora
in 1626, and again improved by Diego Fajardo Chacón
in 1644, the erection of the San Diego Bastion (Baluarte de San Diego) being completed in that year. This bastion shaped like an "ace of spades" is the southernmost point of the wall and appears to have been the first of the large bastions added to the encircling walls, then of no great height nor of finished construction. It was the former site of Nuestra Señora de Guia, the very first stone fort of Manila.
. East of the plaza was the Ayuntamiento (City Hall) and facing it was the Governor's Palace, the official residence of the Spanish viceroyalties to the Philippines. The earthquake
of June 3, 1863 destroyed the three buildings and much of the city. The residence of the Governor-General was moved to Malacañang Palace
located about 3 km (1.9 mi) up on Pasig River. The two previous buildings were later rebuilt but not the Governor's Palace.
Inside the walls are other Roman Catholic churches, the oldest being San Agustin Church
(Augustinians) built in 1607. The other churches built by the different religious orders
- San Nicolas de Tolentino Church (Recollects), San Francisco Church (Franciscans), Third Venerable Order Church (Third Order of St. Francis
), Santo Domingo Church (Dominican
), Lourdes Church (Capuchins
), and the San Ignacio Church (Jesuits) - has made the small walled city the City of Churches.
Intramuros became the center of large educational institutions in the country. Convents and church-run schools such as the Universidad de Santo Tomás
, the Colegio de San Juan de Letrán
and the Ateneo Municipal de Manila
were run by the Dominicans and the Jesuit religious order
s.
, Governor General of British Hong Kong, a well-seasoned traveler who had written several books about the different cultures in Asia, was favorably impressed by the lack of racial discrimination and described the situation as "admirable" on a visit to Intramuros, part of his trip to the Philippines during the 1870s.
s of Intramuros is irregular in shape, following the contours of Manila Bay and the curvature of the Pasig River. The walls covered an area of 64 hectares (158.1 acre) of land, surrounded by 8 feet (2.4 m) thick stones and high walls that rise to 22 feet (6.7 m). An inner moat (foso) surrounds the perimeter
of the wall and an outer moat (contrafoso) surrounds the walls that face the city.
s (baluarte), ravelin
s (ravellin) and redoubt
s (reductos) are also strategically located along its massive walls following the design of medieval fortifications. The seven bastion
s (clockwise, from Fort Santiago) are the Bastions of Tenerias, Aduana, San Gabriel, San Lorenzo, San Andres, San Diego, and Plano.
Inside Fort Santiago are bastions on each corner of the triangular fort. Santa Barbara Bastion (Baluarte de Santa Bárbara) faces the bay and Pasig River; Baluarte de San Miguel, faces the bay; Medio Baluarte de San Francisco, Pasig River.
s were raised and the city was closed and under sentinels from 11:00 pm till 4:00 am. It continued so until 1852, when, in consequence of the earthquake of that year, it was decreed that the gates should thenceforth remain open night and day.
of the United States
in 1901. Fort Santiago
became the headquarters from the Philippine Division of the United States Army
.
In the early years of American occupation, drastic changes were made in the walls and character of the city. In 1903, the walls from the Santo Domingo Gate all the way to the Almacenes Gate were removed as the wharf on the southern bank of the Pasig River was widened and improved. The stones removed were used in various constructions around the city.
The walls were also breached in four areas to ease up access to the city: the southwestern end of Calle Aduana (Aduana Street, now Andres Soriano Jr. Ave.); the eastern end of Calle Anda (Anda Street); the northeastern end of Calle Victoria (Victoria Street, previously known as Calle de la Escuela, Street of the School); and the southeastern end of Calle Palacio (Palacio Street, now General Luna Street).
The double moats that surrounded Intramuros were deemed unsanitary and were filled in with mud dredged from Manila Bay
where the present Port of Manila
is now located. The moats were transformed into a municipal golf course by the city. The walls of the city which were located along Manila Bay are now obstructed from view from Manila Bay by the reclamations for the expansion of Luneta Park, and by the construction Manila Hotel
and the Port of Manila
.
. He regrouped the USAFFE forces in the Bataan Peninsula
, only to be trapped there by the advancing Japanese army.
American troops reentered Manila in January 1945, and intense close combat occurred between the American GIs, local Filipino troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army units, recognized guerrillas and the 30,000 Japanese defenders. As the battle dragged on, the Japanese destroyed the city, razing buildings and slaughtering Filipino civilians (see Manila Massacre
). The Imperial Japanese Army
was slowly pushed back, eventually retreating into the Intramuros district. General MacArthur, though opposed to the bombing of the walled city, approved heavy shelling which resulted in deaths of 100,000 Filipino civilians.
At the end of World War II
, all of the structures in Intramuros were destroyed by both the Japanese Imperial Forces and U.S. Air Force
. Of all the churches, government buildings, schools and residences, only one structure, the Church of San Agustin
survived the heavy bombardment but not without any damage.
In 1951, Intramuros was declared as a historical monument and Fort Santiago, a national shrine with Republic Act 597, with the policy of restoring, reconstructing, and urban planning of Intramuros. Several laws and decrees also followed but results were deemed unsatisfactory due to limited funds.
In 1979, the Intramuros Administration was created by virtue of Presidential Decree no. 1616, signed by then President Ferdinand Marcos
on April 10 of that year. Since then, the Intramuros Administration (IA) has been slowly restoring the walls, the sub-features of the fortification, and the city within. The remaining five original gates have been restored or rebuilt: Isabel II Gate, Parian Gate, Real Gate, Sta. Lucia Gate and the Postigo Gate. The four entrances made by the Americans by breaching the walls at four locations are now spanned by walkways thereby creating a connection, seamless in design and character to the original walls.
In 2003, during the Visit Philippines Year, Tourism Secretary Richard J. Gordon
cleaned up Intramuros with the help of student and civilian volunteers as well as raised funds to improve the lighting of the place and build a lights-and-sound museum.
The walled city is the only district of Manila where old Spanish-era influences are still plentiful. Newer buildings are built in the style of the era. As in the Spanish Colonial period, Intramuros still houses some of the higher education institutions in the Philippines. Located within its walls are the city-owned Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, the technical college Mapúa Institute of Technology
, Lyceum of the Philippines University
, Colegio de San Juan de Letran
and high schools such as the Manila High School, and Colegio de Santa Rosa. Fast food restaurants though, like Jollibee
, McDonald's
and Starbucks
are also sprouting within its walls alongside the educational institutions.
Of the eight churches that were located within its walls, only two remained: San Agustin Church
, the oldest building in Manila completed in 1607, and the Manila Cathedral
, which was reconstructed in the 1950s. The other religious orders reconstructed their churches away from Intramuros after the war. There are plans of reconstructing the San Ignacio Church in its vacant original location to serve as an ecclesiastical museum for the IA collection.
Fort Santiago
is now a well-maintained park where visitors can enjoy the nostalgic legacy of the bygone Spanish Colonial Era within its gardens. Next to Fort Santiago is one of the big projects of Intramuros Administration - the reconstruction of the Maestranza Wall - the wall removed by the Americans in 1903 to widen the wharves thus opening the city to Pasig River. One of the future plans of the administration was to complete the perimeter walls that surround the city making it completely circumnavigable from the walkway on top of the walls.
"The oldest fortified city in the country needs help. It needs increased funding to provide, among others, more restored sites, an appropriate museum for the Intramuros Administration’s collection, removal of informal settlers
, further archeological assessment and so on ad nauseam
."
"The administration has been doing a valiant job despite its myriad internal problems, but much of its work had been delayed by lack of funds and political will, just like nearly every other government agency. The last thing it needs is to keep fending off covetous government officials whose minds are far, very far, from heritage."
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, the capital of the Republic of the Philippines. Nicknamed the "Walled City", Intramuros is the historic fortified
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
city of Manila, the seat ot the government during the Spanish Colonial Period. Its name in Latin, intramuros, literally means "within the walls". Districts beyond the walls of Manila were referred to as extramuros, literally "outside the walls."
The city was located then along Manila Bay
Manila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
and south of the Pasig River
Pasig River
The Pasig River is a river in the Philippines that connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. Stretching for , it is lined by Metro Manila on each side...
entrance, before 20th-century reclamations
Land reclamation
Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, is the process to create new land from sea or riverbeds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or landfill.- Habitation :...
obscured the city from the bay. Guarding the city is Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago is a defense fortress built for Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi. The fort is part of the structures of the walled city of Intramuros, in Manila, Philippines. José Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, was imprisoned in the fort before his execution in 1896...
, a citadel
Citadel
A citadel is a fortress for protecting a town, sometimes incorporating a castle. The term derives from the same Latin root as the word "city", civis, meaning citizen....
located at the mouth of the river. Construction of its thick defensive walls were started by the Spaniards
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in the late 16th century to protect the seat of the Spanish government from foreign invasions (most notably British and Dutch) and raiding Chinese sea pirates.
In an October 2010 report titled Saving Our Vanishing Heritage
Saving Our Vanishing Heritage
Saving Our Vanishing Heritage: Safeguarding Endangered Cultural Heritage Sites in the Developing World was a report released by Global Heritage Fund on October 17, 2010...
, the Global Heritage Fund
Global Heritage Fund
Global Heritage Fund is a non-profit organization that operates internationally. Its mission statement says that it exists to protect and preserve significant and endangered cultural heritage sites in the developing world, through scientific excellence and community development...
identified Intramuros along with Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago is a defense fortress built for Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi. The fort is part of the structures of the walled city of Intramuros, in Manila, Philippines. José Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, was imprisoned in the fort before his execution in 1896...
, as one of 12 worldwide sites "On the Verge" of irreparable loss and destruction, citing insufficient management and development pressures.
Pre-Hispanic period
The strategic location of Manila, being on the mouth of Pasig River and along Manila BayManila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
, made it an ideal location for Tagalog
Tagalog people
The Tagalog people are an ethnic group in the Philippines. The name Tagalog comes from either the native term tagá-ilog, meaning 'people living along the river', or another native term, tagá-alog, meaning 'people living along the ford', a ford being a shallow part of a river or stream where people,...
and Kapampangan
Kapampangan people
The Kapampangans or Capampan͠gans are the sixth largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group, numbering about 2,890,000. The original Kapampangans may have descended from Austronesian-speaking immigrants to Luzon during the Iron Age.The province of Pampanga is traditional homeland of the Kapampangans...
tribes and kingdoms to trade with other Asian civilizations, including Chinese, Indian and Islamic merchants who had come from China, India, Borneo and Indonesia.
Before the first arrival of Europeans in Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, it became part of Indianized empire of Majapahit around the 14th century, according to the epic eulogy poem Nagarakretagama
Nagarakretagama
The Nagarakretagama or Nagarakrtagama, also known as Desawarnana, is an Old Javanese eulogy to Hayam Wuruk, a Javanese king and the monarch of the Majapahit Empire. It was written as a kakawin by Mpu Prapanca in 1365 . The Nagarakretagama contains detailed descriptions of the Majapahit Empire...
which inscribed its conquest by Maharaja
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
Hayam Wuruk
Hayam Wuruk
Hayam Wuruk, also called Rajasanagara, , was a Javanese King and the fourth monarch of Majapahit empire. Together with his prime minister Gajah Mada, he reigned the empire at the time of its greatest power. He was preceded by Tribhuwana Wijayatunggadewi and succeeded by his son in law...
. The region was invaded around 1485 by Sultan Bolkiah
Bolkiah
Sultan Bolkiah was the fifth Sultan of Brunei. He ascended the throne of Brunei upon the abdication of his father, Sultan Sulaiman. He ruled Brunei from 1485 to 1524. His reign was known as the Golden Age because Brunei became the superpower of the Malay archipelago...
and became part of the Sultanate of Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
. The site of Intramuros was part of the Islamic kingdom of Maynila
Kingdom of Maynila
The Kingdom of Seludong , or Maynila, which after colonization became Manila, capital of the Philippines, was one of three major city-states that dominated the area around the upper portion of the Pasig River before the arrival of Spanish colonizers in the 16th century.The early inhabitants of the...
ruled by Datu
Datu
Datu is the title for tribal chiefs, sovereign princes, and monarchs in the Visayas and Mindanao Regions of the Philippines. Together with Lakan , Apo in Central and Northern Luzon, Sultan and Rajah, they are titles used for native royalty, and are still currently used in the Philippines...
s, Rajahs and the Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
.
Conquest of Manila
In 1564, SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
explorers led by Miguel López de Legazpi
Miguel López de Legazpi
Miguel López de Legazpi , also known as El Adelantado and El Viejo , was a Spanish conquistador who established one of the first European settlements in the East Indies and the Pacific Islands in 1565. He is the first Governor-General in the Philippines...
sailed from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and arrived on the island of Cebu
Cebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...
on February 13, 1565, establishing the first Spanish colony in the Islands. Having heard of the rich resources of Manila from the natives, López de Legazpi dispatched two of his lieutenant-commanders, Martín de Goiti
Martin de Goiti
Martín de Goiti was a Spanish Basque conquistador and founder of the city of Manila in the Philippines. Martín de Goiti was one of the soldiers who accompanied the Spanish colonization of the East Indies and the Pacific, in 1565. He was the leader of the expedition to Manila, ordered by Miguel...
and Juan de Salcedo
Juan de Salcedo
Juan de Salcedo was a Spanish conquistador. He was born in Mexico in 1549 and he was the grandson of Miguel López de Legazpi and brother of Felipe de Salcedo. Salcedo was one of the soldiers who accompanied the Spanish colonization of the Philippines in 1565...
to explore the northern regions of the Visayas
Visayas
The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...
.
In 1570, the Spaniards arrived in the island of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
. After quarrels and misunderstandings had erupted between the Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic natives and the Spaniards, both groups fought for the control of lands and settlements. In 1571, after several months of warfare, the natives were defeated, and the Spaniards made a peace pact with the Muslim tribal councils of Rajah Sulaiman III, Rajah Lakandula
Rajah Lakandula
Lakan Banaw Dula or Gat Banaw Dula , often referred to simply by his title Lakan Dula, and later baptised Lakan Carlos Dula, was the Lakan of the pre-colonial Philippine Kingdom of Tondo when the Spaniards first conquered the lands of the Pasig River delta in the 1570s...
, and Rajah Matanda
Rajah Matanda
Rajah Ache Matanda was a 16th century Muslim chieftain of the Kingdom of Maynila, a Tagalog kingdom on the region of the Pasig River in the Philippines...
; who, in return, handed over Manila to the Spaniards.
Citing the rich resources and location of Manila, López de Legazpi declared the area as the new capital of the Spanish colony on June 24, 1571 and proclaimed the sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
of the Monarchy of Spain over the whole group of islands. The King of Spain, Philip II
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
delighted at the new conquest achieved by López de Legazpi and his men, awarded the city a Coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
and declaring it Ciudad Insigne y Siempre Leal ("Distinguished and ever loyal city"). Intramuros became the center of political, military and religious power of the Spaniards during the time the Philippines was a colony of Spain.
Construction of the wall
The planning of the city of Manila was commenced by Santiago de VeraSantiago de Vera
Santiago de Vera was the sixth Spanish governor of the Philippines, from May 16, 1584 until May 1590. The construction of the walled city of Intramuros, Manila, commenced during his term. Fuerte de Santiago in Intramuros was named after him....
, the sixth governor-general
Governor-General of the Philippines
The Governor-General of the Philippines was the title of the government executive during the colonial period of the Philippines, governed mainly by Spain and the United States, and briefly by Great Britain, from 1565 to 1935....
on the islands. The plans for Intramuros were approved by King Philip II of Spain
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
's Royal Ordinance issued in San Lorenzo, Spain.
Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, the next governor, brought with him from Spain the royal instructions to carry into effect the above decree. Hence the work began in 1590 and continued under many governors till 1872. As this construction was carried on during different periods, often far apart, the building was not executed, therefore, according to any uniform plan.
Gov. Juan de Silva
Juan de Silva
Juan de Silva was a Spanish military commander and governor of the Philippines, from April 1609 until his death on April 19, 1616.De Silva was a native of Trujillo, Spain, and a knight of the Order of Santiago...
executed certain work on the fortifications in 1609 which was improved by Juan Niño de Tabora
Juan Niño de Tabora
Juan Niño de Tabora , was a Spanish general and colonial official. From June 29, 1626 until his death on July 22, 1632, he was governor of the Philippines.-Early life:Juan Niño de Tabora was born in Galicia...
in 1626, and again improved by Diego Fajardo Chacón
Diego Fajardo Chacón
Diego Fajardo Chacón was a Spanish military officer and governor of the Philippines, from August 11, 1644 to July 25, 1653.-Background:A knight of the Order of Santiago, Diego Fajardo was an illustrious scion of the house of the Marqués de los Vélez and a nephew of Philippine Governor Alonso...
in 1644, the erection of the San Diego Bastion (Baluarte de San Diego) being completed in that year. This bastion shaped like an "ace of spades" is the southernmost point of the wall and appears to have been the first of the large bastions added to the encircling walls, then of no great height nor of finished construction. It was the former site of Nuestra Señora de Guia, the very first stone fort of Manila.
Inside Intramuros
The main square of the city was Plaza Mayor (later known as Plaza McKinley and Plaza de Roma) in front of the Manila CathedralManila Cathedral
Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is also known as Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception or Basilica Minore dela Inmaculada Concepcion or Basilica Minore dela Nuestra Señora de Inmaculada Concepcion A Roman Catholic church having a higher status of "Minor Basilica" with...
. East of the plaza was the Ayuntamiento (City Hall) and facing it was the Governor's Palace, the official residence of the Spanish viceroyalties to the Philippines. The earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
of June 3, 1863 destroyed the three buildings and much of the city. The residence of the Governor-General was moved to Malacañang Palace
Malacañang Palace
The Malacañan Palace, commonly known simply as Malacañang, is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines. Located at 1000 J. P. Laurel Street, San Miguel, Manila, the house was built in 1750 in Spanish Colonial style. It has been the residence of every...
located about 3 km (1.9 mi) up on Pasig River. The two previous buildings were later rebuilt but not the Governor's Palace.
Inside the walls are other Roman Catholic churches, the oldest being San Agustin Church
San Agustin Church
San Agustin Church may refer to:*Cathedral of San Agustin in Laredo, Texas*San Agustin Church, Manila in Manila, Philippines*Iglesia San Agustín, Chile...
(Augustinians) built in 1607. The other churches built by the different religious orders
Religious institute
In the Roman Catholic Church, a religious institute is "a society in which members, according to proper law, pronounce public vows, either perpetual or temporary which are to be renewed, however, when the period of time has elapsed, and lead a life of brothers or sisters in common".-Distinctions...
- San Nicolas de Tolentino Church (Recollects), San Francisco Church (Franciscans), Third Venerable Order Church (Third Order of St. Francis
Third Order of St. Francis
The Third Order of St. Francis is a third order within the Franciscan movement of the Roman Catholic Church. It includes both congregations of vowed men and women and fraternities of men and women living standard lives in the world, usually married...
), Santo Domingo Church (Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
), Lourdes Church (Capuchins
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
), and the San Ignacio Church (Jesuits) - has made the small walled city the City of Churches.
Intramuros became the center of large educational institutions in the country. Convents and church-run schools such as the Universidad de Santo Tomás
University of Santo Tomas
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
, the Colegio de San Juan de Letrán
Colegio de San Juan de Letran
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Letran College, or simply Letran is a private Roman Catholic institution of learning located in Intramuros, Manila, in the Philippines. The college was founded in 1620. Colegio de San Juan de Letran has the distinction of being the oldest college in the...
and the Ateneo Municipal de Manila
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
were run by the Dominicans and the Jesuit religious order
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
s.
Residents within the wall
As opposed to what was the norm in other European colonies at the time, Spanish authorities allowed all racial groups to settle inside Intramuros. Sir John BowringJohn Bowring
Sir John Bowring, KCB was an English political economist, traveller, miscellaneous writer, polyglot, and the 4th Governor of Hong Kong.- Early life :...
, Governor General of British Hong Kong, a well-seasoned traveler who had written several books about the different cultures in Asia, was favorably impressed by the lack of racial discrimination and described the situation as "admirable" on a visit to Intramuros, part of his trip to the Philippines during the 1870s.
Physical features of the walls
The outline of the defensive wallDefensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
s of Intramuros is irregular in shape, following the contours of Manila Bay and the curvature of the Pasig River. The walls covered an area of 64 hectares (158.1 acre) of land, surrounded by 8 feet (2.4 m) thick stones and high walls that rise to 22 feet (6.7 m). An inner moat (foso) surrounds the perimeter
Perimeter
A perimeter is a path that surrounds an area. The word comes from the Greek peri and meter . The term may be used either for the path or its length - it can be thought of as the length of the outline of a shape. The perimeter of a circular area is called circumference.- Practical uses :Calculating...
of the wall and an outer moat (contrafoso) surrounds the walls that face the city.
Defense structures
Several bulwarkBulwark
Bulwark may refer to:*A bastion or fortifications in general*In naval terminology, an extension of a ship's sides above deck level*HMS Bulwark, any of several Royal Navy ships*USS Bulwark, any of several US Navy ships...
s (baluarte), ravelin
Ravelin
A ravelin is a triangular fortification or detached outwork, located in front of the innerworks of a fortress...
s (ravellin) and redoubt
Redoubt
A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, though others are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldiers outside the main defensive line and can be a permanent structure or a...
s (reductos) are also strategically located along its massive walls following the design of medieval fortifications. The seven bastion
Bastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
s (clockwise, from Fort Santiago) are the Bastions of Tenerias, Aduana, San Gabriel, San Lorenzo, San Andres, San Diego, and Plano.
Gates of Intramuros
Before the American Era, entrance to the city was through eight gates or Puertas namely (clockwise, from Fort Santiago) Puerta Almacenes, Puerta de la Aduana, Puerta de Santo Domingo, Puerta Isabel II, Puerta del Parian, Puerta Real, Puerta Sta. Lucia, and Puerta del Postigo. Formerly, drawbridgeDrawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
s were raised and the city was closed and under sentinels from 11:00 pm till 4:00 am. It continued so until 1852, when, in consequence of the earthquake of that year, it was decreed that the gates should thenceforth remain open night and day.
American Colonial Period
On August 13, 1898, the American flag was raised in Fort Santiago indicating the start of American rule over the city. The Ayuntamiento became the seat of the Philippine CommissionPhilippine Commission
The Philippine Commission was a body appointed by the President of the United States to exercise legislative and limited executive powers in the Philippines. It was first appointed by President William McKinley in 1901. Beginning in 1907, it acted as the upper house of a bicameral Philippine...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1901. Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago is a defense fortress built for Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi. The fort is part of the structures of the walled city of Intramuros, in Manila, Philippines. José Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, was imprisoned in the fort before his execution in 1896...
became the headquarters from the Philippine Division of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
In the early years of American occupation, drastic changes were made in the walls and character of the city. In 1903, the walls from the Santo Domingo Gate all the way to the Almacenes Gate were removed as the wharf on the southern bank of the Pasig River was widened and improved. The stones removed were used in various constructions around the city.
The walls were also breached in four areas to ease up access to the city: the southwestern end of Calle Aduana (Aduana Street, now Andres Soriano Jr. Ave.); the eastern end of Calle Anda (Anda Street); the northeastern end of Calle Victoria (Victoria Street, previously known as Calle de la Escuela, Street of the School); and the southeastern end of Calle Palacio (Palacio Street, now General Luna Street).
The double moats that surrounded Intramuros were deemed unsanitary and were filled in with mud dredged from Manila Bay
Manila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
where the present Port of Manila
Port of Manila
The Port of Manila is the largest seaport in the Philippines, and is the premier international shipping gateway to the country. It is located in the vicinity of Manila Bay.-Port Area:...
is now located. The moats were transformed into a municipal golf course by the city. The walls of the city which were located along Manila Bay are now obstructed from view from Manila Bay by the reclamations for the expansion of Luneta Park, and by the construction Manila Hotel
Manila Hotel
The Manila Hotel is a 570-room, five star hotel in Manila, Philippines, located in the heart of the Manila Bay area. The Manila Hotel is the oldest premiere hotel in the Philippines, built in 1909 to rival Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the President of the Philippines, and opened in...
and the Port of Manila
Port of Manila
The Port of Manila is the largest seaport in the Philippines, and is the premier international shipping gateway to the country. It is located in the vicinity of Manila Bay.-Port Area:...
.
World War II
In 1942, when the Japanese forces invaded the Philippines, U.S. forces led by General Douglas McArthur realized that Manila was indefensible so he declared it an Open CityOpen city
In war, in the event of the imminent capture of a city, the government/military structure of the nation that controls the city will sometimes declare it an open city, thus announcing that they have abandoned all defensive efforts....
. He regrouped the USAFFE forces in the Bataan Peninsula
Bataan Peninsula
The Bataan Peninsula is a rocky extension of the Zambales Mountains, on Luzon in the Philippines. It separates the Manila Bay from the South China Sea...
, only to be trapped there by the advancing Japanese army.
American troops reentered Manila in January 1945, and intense close combat occurred between the American GIs, local Filipino troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army units, recognized guerrillas and the 30,000 Japanese defenders. As the battle dragged on, the Japanese destroyed the city, razing buildings and slaughtering Filipino civilians (see Manila Massacre
Manila massacre
The Manila massacre refers to the February 1945 atrocities conducted against Filipino civilians in Manila, Philippines by Japanese troops during World War II.-Description:...
). The Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
was slowly pushed back, eventually retreating into the Intramuros district. General MacArthur, though opposed to the bombing of the walled city, approved heavy shelling which resulted in deaths of 100,000 Filipino civilians.
At the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, all of the structures in Intramuros were destroyed by both the Japanese Imperial Forces and U.S. Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. Of all the churches, government buildings, schools and residences, only one structure, the Church of San Agustin
San Agustin Church, Manila
San Agustin Church is a Roman Catholic church under the auspices of The Order of St. Augustine, located inside the historic walled city of Intramuros in Manila. Completed by 1607, it is the oldest church still standing in the Philippines...
survived the heavy bombardment but not without any damage.
Rehabilitation of the Walled City
In 1979, the Intramuros Administration was created by virtue of Presidential Decree no. 1616, signed by then President Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
on April 10 of that year. Since then, the Intramuros Administration (IA) has been slowly restoring the walls, the sub-features of the fortification, and the city within. The remaining five original gates have been restored or rebuilt: Isabel II Gate, Parian Gate, Real Gate, Sta. Lucia Gate and the Postigo Gate. The four entrances made by the Americans by breaching the walls at four locations are now spanned by walkways thereby creating a connection, seamless in design and character to the original walls.
In 2003, during the Visit Philippines Year, Tourism Secretary Richard J. Gordon
Richard Gordon (politician)
Richard "Dick" Juico Gordon is a Filipino politician and broadcaster who currently serves as the chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross....
cleaned up Intramuros with the help of student and civilian volunteers as well as raised funds to improve the lighting of the place and build a lights-and-sound museum.
Present day Intramuros
Mapúa Institute of Technology
Mapúa Institute of Technology is a private, non-sectarian, Filipino tertiary institute located in Intramuros, Manila and in Makati....
, Lyceum of the Philippines University
Lyceum of the Philippines University
The Lyceum of the Philippines University is an institute of higher education located in Intramuros in the City of Manila. It was founded in 1952 by Dr. José P. Laurel, who became the third and one of the most acclaimed presidents of the Philippines...
, Colegio de San Juan de Letran
Colegio de San Juan de Letran
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Letran College, or simply Letran is a private Roman Catholic institution of learning located in Intramuros, Manila, in the Philippines. The college was founded in 1620. Colegio de San Juan de Letran has the distinction of being the oldest college in the...
and high schools such as the Manila High School, and Colegio de Santa Rosa. Fast food restaurants though, like Jollibee
Jollibee
Jollibee Foods Corporation is the parent company of Jollibee, a fast-food restaurant chain based in the Philippines. Among JFC's popular brands are Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Caffe Ti-amo, Mang Inasal and Burger King...
, McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
and Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
are also sprouting within its walls alongside the educational institutions.
Of the eight churches that were located within its walls, only two remained: San Agustin Church
San Agustin Church, Manila
San Agustin Church is a Roman Catholic church under the auspices of The Order of St. Augustine, located inside the historic walled city of Intramuros in Manila. Completed by 1607, it is the oldest church still standing in the Philippines...
, the oldest building in Manila completed in 1607, and the Manila Cathedral
Manila Cathedral
Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is also known as Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception or Basilica Minore dela Inmaculada Concepcion or Basilica Minore dela Nuestra Señora de Inmaculada Concepcion A Roman Catholic church having a higher status of "Minor Basilica" with...
, which was reconstructed in the 1950s. The other religious orders reconstructed their churches away from Intramuros after the war. There are plans of reconstructing the San Ignacio Church in its vacant original location to serve as an ecclesiastical museum for the IA collection.
Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago is a defense fortress built for Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi. The fort is part of the structures of the walled city of Intramuros, in Manila, Philippines. José Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, was imprisoned in the fort before his execution in 1896...
is now a well-maintained park where visitors can enjoy the nostalgic legacy of the bygone Spanish Colonial Era within its gardens. Next to Fort Santiago is one of the big projects of Intramuros Administration - the reconstruction of the Maestranza Wall - the wall removed by the Americans in 1903 to widen the wharves thus opening the city to Pasig River. One of the future plans of the administration was to complete the perimeter walls that surround the city making it completely circumnavigable from the walkway on top of the walls.
Building structures before WWII and at present
Note: Parenthesis indicates the new buildings that occupy the same site today; an asterisk (*), same occupants before and after the war.Churches
- Lourdes Church (El Almanecer)
- Manila CathedralManila CathedralMinor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is also known as Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception or Basilica Minore dela Inmaculada Concepcion or Basilica Minore dela Nuestra Señora de Inmaculada Concepcion A Roman Catholic church having a higher status of "Minor Basilica" with...
* - San Agustin ChurchSan Agustin Church, ManilaSan Agustin Church is a Roman Catholic church under the auspices of The Order of St. Augustine, located inside the historic walled city of Intramuros in Manila. Completed by 1607, it is the oldest church still standing in the Philippines...
* - San Francisco Church (Mapúa Institute of TechnologyMapúa Institute of TechnologyMapúa Institute of Technology is a private, non-sectarian, Filipino tertiary institute located in Intramuros, Manila and in Makati....
) - San Ignacio Church* (Ruins, to be rebuilt by the Ateneo University)
- San Nicolas de Tolentino Church (Manila BulletinManila BulletinThe Manila Bulletin , is the Philippines' largest broadsheet newspaper by circulation, followed by the Philippine Daily Inquirer. It bills itself as "The Nation's Leading Newspaper", which is its official slogan...
) - Santo Domingo Church (Bank of the Philippine IslandsBank of the Philippine IslandsBank of the Philippine Islands is the oldest bank in the Philippines still in operation and is the country's third largest bank in terms of assets, the country's largest bank in terms of market capitalization, and the country's most profitable bank...
) - Third Venerable Order Church (Mapúa Chapel)
Convents & schools
- Ateneo Municipal de ManilaAteneo de Manila UniversityThe Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
(Clamshell 1) (till 1932 before it moved to Padre Faura in Ermita, and later, to Loyola Heights, Quezon CityQuezon CityQuezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
) then occupied by Adamson UniversityAdamson UniversityAdamson University is a private university Catholic university in Manila, Philippines, founded on June 30, 1932 by Greek immigrant George Lucas Adamson as the Adamson School of Industrial Chemistry...
in 1939. - Beaterio de la Compañia de Jesus/Colegio de Beaterio de la Compania (Light and Sound Museum)
- Beaterio-Colegio de Sta. Catalina (Letran Elementary School)
- Colegio de San Juan de LetránColegio de San Juan de LetranThe Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Letran College, or simply Letran is a private Roman Catholic institution of learning located in Intramuros, Manila, in the Philippines. The college was founded in 1620. Colegio de San Juan de Letran has the distinction of being the oldest college in the...
* - Colegio de Sta. IsabelSanta Isabel College, ManilaSanta Isabel College is a former all girls Catholic school and university in Ermita in the city of Manila, Philippines , offering courses at the primary, secondary, and post-secondary levels...
(Clamshell 2) - Colegio de Sta. Potenciana (united with Colegio de Sta. Isabel) (National Commission for Culture and the ArtsNational Commission for Culture and the Arts (Philippines)The National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines is the official arts council for the Philippines.-History:In 1987, then President Corazon C. Aquino penned Executive Order No. 118 creating the Presidential Commission on Culture and Arts...
) - Colegio de Sta. Rosa*
- Santa Clara Monastery (Empty Lot)
- University of Santo TomasUniversity of Santo TomasThe Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
(BF Condominiums). Bound by Plaza Santo Tomas and the Ayuntamiento. The plaza was rebuilt with a replica of the original statue of Miguel de BenavidesMiguel de BenavidesMiguel de Benavides y Añoza was a Spanish clergyman and sinologist, the third Archbishop of Manila, and founder of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.-Biography:...
, the founder of the university.
Other buildings
- Audiencia (former Supreme Court building and the Old Commission on Elections*) (Ruins)
- Ayuntamiento* (In reconstruction)
- Cuartel España (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila)
- Hospital de San Juan de Dios (Lyceum of the Philippines UniversityLyceum of the Philippines UniversityThe Lyceum of the Philippines University is an institute of higher education located in Intramuros in the City of Manila. It was founded in 1952 by Dr. José P. Laurel, who became the third and one of the most acclaimed presidents of the Philippines...
) - Intendencia* (Ruins)
- Palacio Arzobispal* [The Archbishop's Palace]
- Palacio de Sta. Potenciana (Philippine Red Cross)
- Palacio del Gobernador* (Commission on Elections)*
Political subdivision
In present day Intramuros, the district is divided into five different barangays.| Name | Population (2007) |
|---|---|
| Barangay 654 | 864 |
| Barangay 655 | 1,787 |
| Barangay 656 | 424 |
| Barangay 657 | 420 |
| Barangay 658 | 1,520 |
Preserving Intramuros' Heritage
"Square foot for square foot, no other site in the country holds as much national historical interest as Intramuros. Even its very ground is unique as it holds artifacts that recount the ages of trade even prior to Spanish conquest. Every single conqueror of this country flew its flag over the Intramuros, and all – except the Americans – retreated to the safety behind its walls prior to ejection.""The oldest fortified city in the country needs help. It needs increased funding to provide, among others, more restored sites, an appropriate museum for the Intramuros Administration’s collection, removal of informal settlers
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
, further archeological assessment and so on ad nauseam
Ad nauseam
Ad nauseam is a Latin term used to describe an argument which has been continuing "to [the point of] nausea". For example, the sentence, "This topic has been discussed ad nauseam", signifies that the topic in question has been discussed extensively, and that those involved in the discussion have...
."
"The administration has been doing a valiant job despite its myriad internal problems, but much of its work had been delayed by lack of funds and political will, just like nearly every other government agency. The last thing it needs is to keep fending off covetous government officials whose minds are far, very far, from heritage."
External links
- Intramuros Travel Guide from WikitravelWikitravel-External links:* *...
. - Intramuros: A Heritage Walk to Remember by Potpot Pinili
- Fort Santiago Panoramic View
- Explore Intramuros with Google Earth on Global Heritage NetworkGlobal Heritage NetworkGlobal Heritage Network , established by Global Heritage Fund , is an early warning and threats monitoring system for cultural heritage sites in developing countries...