Hi dear lovely people of the community!
It’s been a while since I last posted here, as I got busy with the past holidays and other personal errands. However, I’m back to share with you one of the historical places in the Philippines that my fiancé and I visited. This place is called Intramuros.
To give you a brief introduction of Intramuros- this is the oldest district in Manila, Philippines. According to research it’s name means “within the walls,” because it was surrounded by thick stone walls during Spanish colonial times. Inside Intramuros, you can find beautiful old churches, different restaurants and streets that tell stories of the country’s history. We walk through this place for a new experience. Walking through it feels like stepping back in time, making it a special place to learn about the past and enjoy meaningful moments together. You’ll get to see a lot of interesting things here, cafés, museums and souvenir shops.
It was one fine afternoon when we decided to visit this historic place. We already had places in mind where we wanted to start exploring, so we booked a Grab going to Intramuros. When we arrived, we started walking towards Fort Santiago, where you can begin exploring its history. We pay for the entrance fee first then we started exploring the area on our own. We went to a museum where the story of Dr. Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines where we learned more about him.
Then we also went to Dungeons which was an exciting part of the exploration since it was underground. After this, we went for a coffee in our favorite Starbucks where the coffee shop also has the old design which looks very interesting.
This is Palacio Del Gobernador. This is near Manila Cathedral, right in the heart of Intramuros. This was an old building and built in 1599 and served as the center of Spanish colonial administration according to the research. Currently this is the government offices and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas - Intramuros Branch.
Standing here is the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Known as The Manila Cathedral. This is one of the most important and historic churches in the Philippines. According to research this was built 1581, it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times due to earthquakes, fires, and wars.
This is San Agustin Church. This is also one of the most important historical and religious landmarks in the Philippines located also in Intramuros. This was completed in 1607 which makes it the oldest stone church in the Philippines according to research. The church known for its Baroque architecture. San Agustin Church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for its cultural and historical value. Many weddings are also held here.
So as you walk by and explore the area, you will also get to see different cafe´s and restaurants with variety of cuisines they offer. We walked around until night since we arrived late. But we enjoyed exploring the area together with other locals and tourists. We also saw Barbara´s Restaurant which is famous and was even featured in a Filipino movie.
We really enjoyed our time together exploring Intramuros since this was also our first time exploring Historical places. I hope you all get to visit this place too.
Until the next adventure!
All pictures taken are mine.
Edited using Canva.
Camera used is IPhone.