Intramuros in Manila

Intramuros in Manila: Intramuros is the old part of Manila and probaply the nicest place to walk around in this huge city. There are many well restored old buildings and you also have the Manila Cathedral there aswell as many other important buildings. In a city that in my opinion does not have many tourist sights, this is certainly one of the biggest must sees.

- The Carlos Celdran walk in Intramuros : About a year ago, I took the Carlos Celdran tour around Intramuros. It is a truly refreshing view of Manila and its history. Carlos himself is a real performer and shares his feelings on the wrongs and rights in the history of Manila. It is a 2 hour walk that is wroth every peso.

- INTRAMUROS (between the walls): Spend an afternoon exploring the old Spanish city of Intramuros which was built as a fortress in the 16th century and eventually destroyed at the end of the 2nd world war as the Americans ended the Japanese occupation. The city was exclusively for the rich, the state buildings, churches, courts, hospitals and the cobbled streets still remain today.Walk on parts of the restored walls, several metres high and a few metres thick. Immigration office is here and the General Post Office, both near the Jones Bridge. It is surrounded by a golf course and if you are approaching from Malate you will probably enter the gate and walk down General Luna Street. Inside the walls are many attractions such as Fort Santiago, Rizal's Shrine, San Agustin Church and museum, Manila Cathedral, many small plazas and modern restaurants, most of which blend in with the surrounding buildings. You can rent a Kalesa (horse and cart) to tour around the place, or you can take a leisurely stroll. The visitors centre is just outside Fort Santiago where you can obtain a map of the old city. If you are coming by the LRT/MRT get off the train at Central and it will be a few minutes walk to the old city

- Fort Santiago-Seat of Old Spanish Power: Fort Santiago (Fuerza de 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. The location of Fort Santiago was also once the site of the palace and kingdom of Rajah Suliman, chieftain of Manila of pre-Spanish era. It was destroyed by the conquistadors upon arriving in 1570, encountering several bloody battles with the Muslims and native Tagalogs. The Spaniards destroyed the native settlements and erected Fuerza de Santiago in 1571.

Marking its entrance at the northwestern tip to Intramuros, Fort Santiago is one of the oldest fortifications of Intramuros. Its construction started in 1571 and it was completed nearly 150 years later by Filipino forced labor. The pre-Spanish settlement of Rajah Sulayman, the last Filipino ruler before the coming of the Spaniards, was a wooden fort, on the ashes of which was built the Spanish fortress which was Spain's major defense position in the islands. It looked out on the sea, towards which its canons were trained to ward off pirates and invaders. It is also known as the "Shrine of Freedom," in memory of the heroic Filipinos imprisoned and killed here during the Spanish and Japanese eras. Partly rebuilt from the ruins of World War II, it is now a park and promenade housing a resident theater company, PETA, which used ramparts, an old garrison, and a small chapel as theaters for both traditional and modern plays.

Today the fort serves as a museum which houses well-preserved legacies of the Spanish Government, Jose Rizal (which is called the Plaza de Armas), Rizal Shrine, and the prison dungeons for criminals used by the Spanish Officials. José Rizal, the country's national hero, was imprisoned here before his execution in 1896. A visit to Manila is not complete until you make you last respects to this great man.

- reliving the past: intramuros is a spanish word meaning "within the walls". This city within the city is the old manila. sadly much of it was destroyed during the war but there are still other interesting sites to see, like museums, old church- the San Agustin Church (a UNESCO world heritage site).

- Sayaw sa Bangko - Philippine local dance: See and experience the Philippines national dance at the Barbaras Restaurant in Intramuros, Manila. Barbaras restaurants' full buffet dinner is at 550.00 (including tax) per person and witness artist performing local dances.

Facts: Sayaw sa Bangko ("dance on bench") is a folk dance from the Pangasinan province of the Philippines. Performers dance on top of a narrow bench. Its fun to watch male dancers lifting the female dancers on the other edge of the bench. They wear colorful filipino designs costumes and they were smiling throughout the performance. Indeed a filipino culture.

- Tinikling - Philippines National Dance: See and experience the Philippines national dance at the Barbaras Restaurant in Intramuros, Manila. Barbaras restaurants' full buffet dinner is at 550.00 (including tax) per person and witness artist performing local dances.

After which, they are inviting all guest to try and experience the Tinikling (teeh-NEEHK-ling). This Philippines dance will test ones cleverness. See photos above.

Facts: The English equivalent of “tinikling” is “bamboo dance.” More than one oral history of the tinikling dance has been handed down through the generations.
Smooth three-inch bamboo poles that are approximately seven to eight feet long and dancers gracefully steps and jumps between two bamboo poles.

- Walk around the historical site: This walled city is surrounded by a golf course and is one of the quiter places in Manila.Built around 1600 by the spanish but heavily bombed in WW2 ,this is a nice area to walk around one of the most historical areas in Manila.