The capital of the Philippines, the city of Manila, refers to the type of settlements that are developing most dynamically, not only economically, but also culturally. In addition, the city has a long and glorious history, full of various events. Today, this city is becoming an important tourist center, so in our review we will get acquainted with the most famous sights of Manila, relating to different historical eras.
Cathedral
The first mention in history of this amazing cathedral, located in the heart of the historical part of Manila, dates back to 1571. They consecrated it as the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and even during the time of Spanish rule, he became the main Catholic cathedral of the Manila archdiocese.
During the Second World War, the church building was completely destroyed by American bombing, and was built from the ground up after the war. It harmoniously combines neo-Byzantine and Romanesque architectural styles, as well as architectural details of the Renaissance.
Many famous people are buried in the Catholic Cathedral, including two presidents of the Philippines, who ruled the country in the twentieth - early XXI centuries.
Golden Mosque Mashid Al Dahab
Manila is an amazing city, where various religious movements coexist, and the symbol and shrine of Islam since 1976 is the magnificent Mosqueh al-Dahab mosque.
It was built by the arrival of the Libyan ruler Muammar al-Gaddafi to the Philippines, but the visit did not take place, and since then a new, beautiful sight has appeared on the map of Manila.
The mosque has become the largest Muslim center of the East Asian state, where thousands of pilgrims gather not only from different parts of the Philippines, but also neighboring states during the festivals.
Cuiapo Church
The Roman Catholic Church, officially named the Lesser Basilica of the Black Jesus of Nazareth, was built in 1928 in the municipal area of Cuiapo.
The project was developed by two talented architects Magdaleno Castillo and Juan Nakpila, they also supervised the construction of the religious building. In the construction they used mainly local material, but imported jewelry was also used for interior decoration.
The church, built in the Mexican Baroque style on the site of an old, burnt church, was painted in cream color, and today it has become the main cult center of Catholics in the Philippines.
Basilica of San Sebastian
In the small Roman Catholic basilica, founded back in 1621, the main national shrine is stored - a statue of the Holy Virgin Mary from Mount Carmel.
The temple, built in the Neo-Gothic style, was repeatedly rebuilt, and only in 1890 the building acquired a modern look. Belgian and Spanish engineers used materials that would not be exposed to fire, so steel structures were used in the construction of the church.
The unique basilica today is the only metal church in the world. The interior is made in the Gothic style, and the famous artist Lorenzo Rocha painted the unique building.
If you are interested in the Gothic style of architecture, most-beauty.ru has prepared for you an interesting article with photographs of the most beautiful Gothic buildings in the world.
National Museum
Acquaintance with any country should begin with a national historical museum, where you can learn a lot of new and interesting things. The National Museum of the Philippines is an attraction in itself, since its building, built in the antique style of 1918, is an adornment of the Philippine capital.
The museum itself was opened in 1901, and during this time a unique collection of artifacts and national household items was collected. The building also houses an art gallery and a planetarium.
But the real highlight of the National Museum, reading the reviews of tourists, is the exposition of clothing and archaeological artifacts of the peoples of the Philippines.
Philippine Cultural Center
The reason for the construction of a spacious cultural center was the victory of the representative of the Philippines at the Miss Universe beauty pageant in 1973, and a building was needed to hold the competition in the capital of the Philippines.
But still, the main motive was the preservation of cultural heritage in one building. Today, it is in this building that the most solemn state events and holidays are held, and museums and theaters work under its roof.
At its entrance there is a magnificent cascade of fountains, and the center building itself operates under the motto "Faith, Beauty and Compassion." The hall, which initially housed 5,000 spectators, was rebuilt several times, and now it can accommodate more than 10 thousand people.
Coconut Palace
Among the architectural masterpieces of Manila, undoubtedly, there is the amazing Coconut Palace, built in 1971 especially for Pope John Paul II.
The pope, who visited the country in 1981, refused to live in a magnificent palace, since his wealth, in his statement, contrasted sharply with the country's poverty.
In architectural terms, the palace resembles a coconut, but all its amazing halls are decorated for individual regions of the Philippines. Note that the architectural elements of the building are made of coconut shells and the halls and facade are decorated with this exotic tree.
Intramuros
In a separate attraction, you can take the oldest, historical part of the Philippine capital - Intramuros district. It has historical and cultural value, as the oldest monument of Spanish architecture.
The most visited area by tourists was founded by the Spaniards. They built stone walls to protect their settlement on Luzon Island from pirate attacks.
Intramuros has many architectural and historical monuments, including the ruins of the church of St. Ignatius - the oldest Jesuit temple in the Philippines.
Fort Santiago
The Spanish conquistadors began to build this powerful stone fort at the same time as the ramparts of Intramuros. The fort became the main strategic part of the fortress.
For its construction in 1571, huge stone blocks were brought from all over the island. After processing, a watch tower and other defensive structures were built from them.
In modern times, Fort Santiago has become a symbol of the struggle for independence and the deliverance of the Philippines from colonial oppression.
Fort drum
Another landmark of a defensive nature drifts in the waters of the bay, and therefore the fort is called "Drifting Concrete Armadillo".
A well-fortified reinforced concrete fortress was built by the Americans when in 1901-1914 they controlled the modern territory of the Philippines. During the Second World War, bloody battles between the American and Japanese forces were fought over a small piece of the fort, and the waters of the Gulf of Manila became red with blood.
Today, Fort Drum is one of Manila’s most visited military historical sites.
Park Paco
This park was once the national cemetery of Manila, and Dominican monks smashed its shady alleys back in the 16th century. Initially, it was called Cementerio General de Dilao, and, starting in 1966, the park became one of the favorite vacation spots of residents and guests of the capital.
In plan, it is circular with an internal circular fort, and in the 70-80s prominent Filipino and world designers took part in the development of the landscape of the park.
There are also monuments in the park, which include the Church of St. Pankratia, as well as a temporary burial place. A temporary burial place of Jose Rizal, who was secretly buried in the park after execution.
Jones Bridge
The most beautiful bridge construction erected over the waters of the Pasig River is the oldest bridge in Manila. The first wooden bridge connected the two shores as early as 1632.
In 1920, a stone bridge was erected using architectural elements of the neoclassical style. The bridge was named after William Jones, who was one of the authors of the Philippines Autonomy Act in 1916.
Today, on a unique, magnificent bridge, you can not only walk, but also ride a tram.
Bridge lovers can also enjoy the world's most beautiful bridges on our site.
Jose Risal Park
The second name of this wonderful historical place is Luneta National Park, and today it is the oldest park in Asia.
The historic place where the independence of the Philippines was declared on July 4, 1946, was named in honor of the national hero Jose Risal. In the very center of the park, a monument was erected in honor of the independence fighter and writer, and not far from it there is a Japanese garden and the building of the national library.
It has a park and its own records. For example, during the service held on January 18, 2015 by Pope Francis, 6 million parishioners gathered in the park.
Corredigor Island
A unique place is included in the city limits - Corredigor Island in the Gulf of Manila, which previously served as the residence of fishermen and a base for pirates. It is small in area, but has valuable historical significance, since the ruins of an ancient lighthouse and a Spanish fortress have been preserved on its territory.
Over the years, the Americans built a military base here, and today there are many monuments on it in memory of the tragic events of Philippine history.
The Eternal Flame of Liberty burns over the island, a memorial was erected in memory of those killed in the wars, as well as the gardens of Peace and Friendship.
So our journey through the wonderful city ended, which is visited annually by thousands of tourists. And as you can see, on the map of Manila there are many interesting places where you can touch the ancient history of this region, as well as have a wonderful time and relax.
Article author: Valery Skiba