Manila City Hall
Encyclopedia
The Manila City Hall is one of the distinct landmark
s in the capital city of Manila
, in the Philippines
. The edifice, with its hexagonal tower with three red-faced clock on three of its facets, received unfavorable reviews in its initial years because of its austere architectural design, lack of entrances and the placement of the clock tower
. The building's floor plan had been dismissed as similar in shape to a coffin
or, in the other end, like the shield of Knights Templar
. Nowadays, many critics praise the design of the City Hall for the same reasons the complex was vilified. The building is located in the center of tourism area where major government buildings and landmarks, are located. The National Museum
, Museum of the Filipino People and the Department of Tourism
are located just south of the city hall. Rizal Park
, the largest city park in the country is just south of the museums. The city hall is also located just outside the oldest and most historic part of the city of Manila - the walled city of Intramuros
.
.
Designed and planned by Antonio Toledo.
has become a trademark for Manila and the city hall. At nighttime, the tower is illuminated with its details highlighted by beautiful lighting
. Every hour, the bell is rung three times followed by a melody. It is recognized as the largest clock tower in the Philippines
.
The City Hall is open to the public from 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Friday.
.
Landmark
This is a list of landmarks around the world.Landmarks may be split into two categories - natural phenomena and man-made features, like buildings, bridges, statues, public squares and so forth...
s in the capital city of Manila
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,...
, in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The edifice, with its hexagonal tower with three red-faced clock on three of its facets, received unfavorable reviews in its initial years because of its austere architectural design, lack of entrances and the placement of the clock tower
Clock tower
A clock tower is a tower specifically built with one or more clock faces. Clock towers can be either freestanding or part of a church or municipal building such as a town hall. Some clock towers are not true clock towers having had their clock faces added to an already existing building...
. The building's floor plan had been dismissed as similar in shape to a coffin
Coffin
A coffin is a funerary box used in the display and containment of dead people – either for burial or cremation.Contemporary North American English makes a distinction between "coffin", which is generally understood to denote a funerary box having six sides in plan view, and "casket", which...
or, in the other end, like the shield of Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
. Nowadays, many critics praise the design of the City Hall for the same reasons the complex was vilified. The building is located in the center of tourism area where major government buildings and landmarks, are located. The National Museum
National Museum of the Philippines
The Museum of the Filipino People is a department of the National Museum of the Philippines that houses the Anthropology and Archaeology Divisions of the National Museum. It is located in the Agrifina Circle, Rizal Park, Manila adjacent to the main National Museum building...
, Museum of the Filipino People and the Department of Tourism
Department of Tourism (Philippines)
The Department of Tourism is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the regulation of the Philippine tourism industry and the promotion of the Philippines as a tourist destination....
are located just south of the city hall. Rizal Park
Rizal Park
Rizal Park, also known as Luneta Park or colloquially Luneta, is a historical urban park located in the heart of the city of Manila, Philippines, adjacent to the old walled city of Manila, now Intramuros. Since the Spanish Colonial Era, the park has been a favorite spot for unwinding, socializing,...
, the largest city park in the country is just south of the museums. The city hall is also located just outside the oldest and most historic part of the city of Manila - the walled city of Intramuros
Intramuros
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,...
.
.
The Complex
Clock Tower
The clock towerClock tower
A clock tower is a tower specifically built with one or more clock faces. Clock towers can be either freestanding or part of a church or municipal building such as a town hall. Some clock towers are not true clock towers having had their clock faces added to an already existing building...
has become a trademark for Manila and the city hall. At nighttime, the tower is illuminated with its details highlighted by beautiful lighting
Architectural lighting design
Architectural lighting design is a field within architecture and architectural engineering that concerns itself primarily with the illumination of buildings. The objective of architectural lighting design is to obtain sufficient light for the purposes of the building, balancing factors of initial...
. Every hour, the bell is rung three times followed by a melody. It is recognized as the largest clock tower in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Services
The City Hall is the main administrative building and houses the local government of the city of Manila. The following departments are housed and provide their services from the city hall:- General Management
- Revenue Generation
- Legal or Public Safety
- Health
- Infrastructure and Sanitation
- Public Welfare Service
- Education
- Media Bureau
- Electronic Data Processing Team
- Emergency Team
- Police Assistance
The City Hall is open to the public from 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Friday.
Bomb Threat
On April 15, 2009, authorities reported a possible bomb threat over the city hall which lead to maximizing the security in the complex. It was later dismissed as a hoax by Manila Mayor Alfredo LimAlfredo Lim
Alfredo Siojo Lim is the incumbent Mayor of the City of Manila and a former senator of the Philippines. A widower, he first served as mayor of Manila from 1992 to 1998 and returned to that post after winning in the 2007 mayoral election.-Early life and career:Born on December 21, 1929 in 1324 J...
.