Beginnings of Intramuros

Written by: Jed Ulssen G. Nacino

This will show the beginnings and founding of Intramuros

Introduction

The ancient 'Walled City' of Intramuros in Manila belongs to a bygone era, but it retains historical significance over time. It has survived many disasters, ranging from wars to natural disasters, and has adapted to the hands of colonizers and invaders. Intramuros, for many, represents the story of the Philippines itself. It is now a popular destination for historical walking tours and cultural performances, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the complexities of this country's past.

The Start of Intramuros

Intramuros' Founding

Intramuros was founded in 1521 on 0.67 square kilometers of land strategically located between Manila Bay and the Pasig River. It was built with a tight grid to keep the streets functional but contained. What is it's purpose? To serve as the Spanish government's political and military base in Asia. Within Intramuros, where only the nation's most powerful clans (mostly of Spanish descent) could settle, grand administrative establishments, as well as religious and educational institutions, thrived.

Horse-drawn carts (kalesa) rumbled through the city's numerous gates, transporting residents to various establishments such as Plaza Mayor (now Plaza de Roma), the City Hall (Ayuntamiento), Plaza Santo Tomas (where the original University of Sto. Tomas was built), a printing press, churches, and Spanish-style colonial homes where residents entertained. Due to constant attacks from foreign invaders, as well as natural and man-made disasters, the city was surrounded by defensive features such as two moats, cannons, and fortified walls ranging from bulwarks to ravelins.

As a result, the name 'Intramuros' means a city within the walls.

Important Places in Intramuros

FORT SANTIAGO

The fort is notable in Philippine history for serving as a headquarters for the armies of several foreign powers, including the Spanish (1571-1898), the British (1762-1764 during the Seven Years War), the Americans (1898-1946), and the Japanese (1942 through 1945).

MANILA CATHEDRAL

The Manila Cathedral is the most recent incarnation of Manila's long-standing Church of Manila. It is a masterpiece of architecture, built from 1954 to 1958 under the supervision of Filipino architect Fernando H. Ocampo after the previous structure was destroyed during WWII.

BALUARTE DE SAN DIEGO

Welcome to the Baluarte de San Diego complex, the oldest in Manila and a Philippine National Cultural Treasure. The complex includes two significant structures: the ruins of the Torre de Nuestra Senora de Guia and the Baluarte de San Diego itself. In 1571, Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi reconfigured Rajah Soliman's Manila as the new capital of the expanding Spanish empire in the Far East. The need for a stronger defense on the bay side became more apparent as the City grew in wealth and prominence in its new role on the world stage.

Viceroyalty of New Spain

Intramuros became the capital of the New Spanish island dominion and flourished during the 17th and 18th centuries, despite being formally subject to the Viceroyalty of New Spain in Mexico City.

Urban Congestion

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, urban congestion gradually encircled the site (the moat was filled in 1905) and wore down and replaced the distinctive Spanish colonial architecture with government offices.

Within the original 20-foot- (6-metre-) thick walls are Manila Cathedral, Fort Santiago, San Agustin Church, the University of the City of Manila, and other Spanish colonial-era monuments. Within the original 20-foot- (6-metre-) thick walls are Manila Cathedral, Fort Santiago, San Agustin Church, the University of the City of Manila, and other Spanish colonial-era monuments.

Intramuros in WWII

The city was reduced to rubble by U.S. bombing in 1944. After WWII, the site was cleared, but reconstruction was slow. The pentagonal walls, seven gates, and small plazas that distinguish Intramuros from the surrounding Malay and Americanized districts of Manila, as well as a few period houses, have been restored.

The End and Credits