Manila, the Philippines
Intramuros (lit. Within the Walls) is the oldest district of the capital city of the Philippines. It covers an area of 0.67 square kilometres, surrounded by stone walls and fortifications that almost completely surrounds the entire district.
The construction of the defensive walls was initiated by Spanish colonial government in the late 16th century in order to protect the city from foreign invasions. Save for a brief period under the British rule from 1762 to 1764, Intramuros remained a Spanish city until 1898 when the USA took control of the Philippines at the end of the Spanish-American War.
The University of the City of Manila is a municipal government-funded university within Intramuros. It's renowned for its commitment in offering tuition-free education and being the first institution of higher learning to have its official name in Tagalog.
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| Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila is the name of the university in Tagalog. |
I was thankful for the weather, making it a pleasant afternoon for my BFF and me to wander around by foot.
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| The union takes care of the welfare of the local marine officers and seamen. |
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| Am I related to Carl A. Anderson? Haha! :P |
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| Starbucks lovers can get their drinks inside Intramuros. |
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| A misplaced, yet cool artwork! |
Palacio del Gobernador (lit. Palace of the Governor) was built in 1976, housing offices under the local government. It's where the former residence of the Governor-General during the Spanish colonial era had been located until an earthquake destroyed it on 3 June 1863.
I think there aren't that many trees within Intramuros, but we stumbled upon a small park with greenery.
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| The memorial is dedicated to the victims of the Battle of Manila from 3 February to 3 March 1945. |
For an added experience, you may want to consider a horse carriage ride, but remember to agree on the price beforehand.
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| There was a joyous wedding at San Agustin Church that afternoon. |
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| King Charles IV Monument is standing at Plaza de Roma, a public square facing the cathedral. |
The rest of the photos in this post was taken five years ago. We were there during the Holy Week, which is a significant religious observance for the Roman Catholic majority and most Protestant groups. There was a bazaar, though I didn't take snap many photos.
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| Sinful stuff, anyone? |
Stations of the Cross were set up on the walkway leading to Fort Santiago. Anyway, I'm a free-thinker, but I've spent most of my formative years in Catholic schools, except for Raffles Junior College.
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| That crown of thorns... |
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| "He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24) |
I've only got one photo of the fort. Pardon me.
In 1979, the Intramuros Administration was established to put up measures in order to preserve the walled city.
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