Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago was begun by Spanish conquistadors at the same time as the fortress of Intramuros. It served as its keep and its main strategic component. This is a classic medieval fortress with barracks for soldiers, powder stores, and damp dungeons. In modern times, Fort Santiago became known mainly for the movement to liberate the Philippines from colonial rule. It was in the local dungeons that Jose Rizal-the famous Philippine independence advocate-was held, and later executed. During World War II, the fort was partially destroyed. From the walls of Santiago, there is an excellent view of the well-kept park and the sea.
Manila Cathedral
The cathedral you can visit right now is already the sixth one built on this site. The first was erected in 1581 using the most accessible materials at the time-bamboo and palm wood. In 1582, the islands were hit by a typhoon, and a year later, a fire broke out. The temple was completely destroyed. All subsequent structures were also not spared by the elements. The last, sixth building began to be constructed in the 1950s. The temple is richly decorated; its façade is adorned with sculptures of saints made from Italian limestone. Inside are the tombs of two Presidents of the country-Carlos Garcia and Corazon Aquino. She was very popular in the country and around the world, so her body was displayed in the cathedral for people to pay their respects. She became the first woman to be granted such an honor.
St. Augustine Church
Saint Augustine’s Church is the oldest of the existing churches in the Philippines to this day. The temple was built between 1586 and 1607 by monks of the Augustinian order, and in 1993, together with three other Philippine churches, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name “Churches of the Philippines in the Baroque Style.” Undoubtedly, this church is one of Manila’s main architectural landmarks. The church’s interior is truly luxurious, with a large number of richly decorated shrines, while the ceilings were painted by Italian artists in the 19th century. The church’s ancient icons on its walls have miraculously preserved their vivid colors, and their scenes are depicted as three-dimensional images, as if the icon painters had mastered 3D technology.
Coconut Palace
This structure was built for Pope John Paul II in 1981. But history remembers it for a very different reason - as one of the examples of the “unheard-of generosity” of the wife of the then Philippine dictator, Imelda Marcos. The first lady was known as the country’s main spendthrift (her luggage during overseas trips consisted of 200-300 suitcases, and her taste for diamonds became the stuff of legend). The Coconut Palace is one of her notorious expenses. The residence cost the treasury an astronomical sum, for the Philippines of that time - $10 million. In addition to the building itself, here you should also see a beautiful garden, a butterfly park, and orchids.
Chinese Cemetery
One of the oldest cemeteries in Manila has long become a popular tourist attraction, not least because it is one of the few places in the city where it is quiet and there is plenty of greenery. It is not scary at all here-and it is very educational. Many mausoleums here look better than some residential houses in Manila. By the way, these mausoleums do, in fact, sometimes become “living quarters” when relatives come to visit the deceased. Some mausoleums have two floors, air conditioning, toilets, and even a shower. There are guides at the Chinese cemetery-do not neglect their services. In just 1-2 hours, they can tell you a lot of interesting things about the bustling life of the cemetery.
