Recollections of Old Manila: Day and Night Walking Tours

04/02/2025

Today, we commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Manila, a defining moment in history that forever reshaped our city.

This battle, marked by immense bravery and sacrifice, not only changed the physical fabric of Manila but also shaped its spirit and resilience.

As we reflect on the courage of those who fought and the lives lost, we honor their legacy, recognizing how their sacrifices continue to influence the identity and future of our beloved Walled City.

01/02/2025

Come join us for a walk to discover, explore, and capture some memories of what old Manila was like with a sense of nostalgia! Learn about old Manila's history, culture, and heritage with our DOT-accredited guides!

RECOLLECTIONS OF OLD MANILA
(Intramuros Day Walking Tour)

Tour Schedule is every Saturday and Sunday morning from 9 am to 12 pm.

1. Listen to the sad stories of war, the Battle of Manila in 1945 at Fort Santiago
2. Explore the dungeons at the fort
3. Stories about our national hero at the Rizal Shrine
4. Tales of urban legend stories
5. White Cross
6. The mother of all churches and basilicas in the Philippines, Manila Cathedral
7. Memorare Manila and the stories of our comfort women
8. Casa Manila
9. San Agustin Church, the oldest stone church in the Philippines
10. Old PMA Site - Cuartel de Sta. Lucia

We have a different Itinerary for the Night Tour please check our page for the latest update.

You may book your private exclusive tours with a minimum of 7 pax every weekday.

Send us a message on our page to reserve your slots now!

01/02/2025

25/01/2025

Come join us for a walk to discover, explore, and capture some memories of what old Manila was like with a sense of nostalgia! Learn about old Manila's history, culture, and heritage with our DOT-accredited guides!

RECOLLECTIONS OF OLD MANILA
(Intramuros Night Walking Tour)

Itinerary and Schedules
-February 08 (Saturday)
-February 15 (Saturday)
-February 22 (Saturday)

Assembly Time: 4:00pm
Assembly Point:

Fort Santiago, Intramuros Manila

1. Listen to the sad stories of war, the Battle of Manila in 1945
2. Explore the dungeons at the fort.
3. Stories about our national hero at the Rizal Shrine.
4. Tales of urban legend stories.
5. White Cross
6. The mother of all churches in the Philippines, Manila Cathedral
7. Memorare Manila and the stories of our comfort women
8. Casa Manila
9. San Agustin Church, the oldest stone church in the Philippines
10. Old UST Site
11. The site of our National Hero's Boarding House
12. Pasig River Esplanade
13. Binondo Chinatown Arch
14. History of the Queen of all streets in Manila, Escolta

Tour requires a maximum of 4 hours of walking, make sure to wear your comfortable walking shoes and outfits.

Send us a message to reserve and secure your limited slots!

You may book your private exclusive tours with a minimum of 7 pax every weekday.

25/01/2025

Come join us for a walk to discover, explore, and capture some memories of what old Manila was like with a sense of nostalgia! Learn about old Manila's history, culture, and heritage with our DOT-accredited guides!

RECOLLECTIONS OF OLD MANILA
(Intramuros Day Walking Tour)

Tour Schedule is every Saturday and Sunday morning from 9 am to 12 pm.

1. Listen to the sad stories of war, the Battle of Manila in 1945 at Fort Santiago
2. Explore the dungeons at the fort
3. Stories about our national hero at the Rizal Shrine
4. Tales of urban legend stories
5. White Cross
6. The mother of all churches and basilicas in the Philippines, Manila Cathedral
7. Memorare Manila and the stories of our comfort women
8. Casa Manila
9. San Agustin Church, the oldest stone church in the Philippines
10. Old PMA Site - Cuartel de Sta. Lucia

We have a different Itinerary for the Night Tour please check our page for the latest update.

You may book your private exclusive tours with a minimum of 7 pax every weekday.

Send us a message on our page to reserve your slots now!

15/01/2025

11/01/2025

𝐍𝐌𝐏 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝟕 𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐀 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊!

The past year has been remarkable for us at the National Museum of the Philippines. So, to start 2025 with a bang, we are delighted to announce that the NMP Central Complex in Manila and our Regional Component Museums all over the Philippines will now be 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐂 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊! 𝐀𝐃𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐒 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄!

Universal access has always been our priority. By opening our museums every day and maintaining free admission, we aim to make our programs and services even more accessible to everybody.

We look forward to welcoming and serving you all this 2025!

05/08/2023

16/07/2023

Looking back to the same date as of today, in the year 1990. Monday, 16 July 1990, when a killer earthquake unexpectedly hit and extensively devastated the City of Baguio. According to the reports and articles back then, a total of 1,000 people suffered devastating deaths who were trapped inside the buildings. A total of 120,000 people were evacuated and slept outdoors in a tent! 🙁

Hotels like the five-star Hyatt Terraces Plaza collapsed, affecting its lobby area. It caused the most damage and killed roughly 50 people. Along Harrison Road, the Baguio Park Hotel was a complete mess. The upscale Nevada Hotel, which is situated directly across from Camp John Hay's main gate, was split in half by the earthquake, leaving a massive hole in the centre of the building.

The Saint Vincent Catholic Church on Naguilian Road was unaffected by the powerful earthquake, however a part of its parking lot and retaining wall were destroyed and fell to the road below.

The church sustained relatively minor damage despite withstanding typhoons, bombs during World War II, and other catastrophes. University of Baguio (UB), it was initially reported that 23 people, mostly students, were killed when the supporting structure of the commerce building gave way.

Definitely one of the most strongest earthquakes in Philippine History with a magnitude 7.7 that lasted 45 seconds.

The 1990 earthquake struck the island of Luzon, a 125 km-long ground rupture that stretched from Dingalan, Aurora to Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya.

Photos are from https://www.geocities.ws/lingayenbay/earthquake.html

16/04/2023

"CASA BIZANTINA"

Casa Bizantina is a bahay na bato was formerly located on Madrid and Penarubia streets in San Nicolas, Binondo. The base floor is made of stone and bricks, and the upper floors are made of various Philippine hardwoods. The building was characteristic of a bahay na bato and was designed to protect the residents from earthquakes. The roofing is made of galvanized iron sheets. A decade before the home was erected in 1890, the government mandated the use of galvanized iron sheets rather than curved roof tiles as additional seismic protection incase of earthquakes. Furthermore, the mansion exemplifies the growth of three-story high constructions in commercial downtown regions beyond Intramuros, such as Binondo. It also exemplifies the features of a "Floral" bahay na bato.

Don Lorenzo del Rosario designed the home and facade, which were erected in 1890. Don Lorenzo was a local principalia and one of Binondo's several building constructors (De Viana, 2001). He was awarded the task to repair the Tribunal de Sangleyes in 1886.

The home was rented to the Instituto de Manila for elementary and high school classes from 1914 to 1919. It was a school until 1919, when the Instituto relocated to Sampaloc and expanded to become The University of Manila. Following WWII, the house was rented to several tenants.

According to Tinio and Zialcita (1980) of the Philippine Ancestral Houses, the Floral period for the Philippine ancestral houses flourished during the 1880s to the 1930s. In comparison to the earlier Geometric period, houses produced during this time were distinguished by more complex yet delicate ornamentation. Floral buildings, particularly those erected in the latter few decades of the nineteenth century, incorporated revivalist forms such as Neo-styles of Renaissance, Baroque, Byzantine, Romanesque, and Neo-Mudejar (Tinio and Zialcita).

Casa Bizantina was home to 50 informal settlers until 2009. It was later dismantled and the Las Casas Filipinas built a replica of the mansion in Bataan.

Credits go to the owners of the pictures: Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, Google Maps, Ateneo de Manila University Press, and Alamy.

16/11/2022

Manila 1945: A Historical Reenactment
Free viewing | Plaza Moriones, Fort Santiago
Nov 20, 2022; 3:00 p.m.

Get quick updates on Intramuros! Go to this link to join our Viber community: https://bit.ly/intramurosviber

14/11/2022

PLAZA MORAGA

This plaza will welcome you as you walk on your way to Binondo, Chinatown, and Escolta, which are right at the foot of Jones Bridge on the north bank of the Pasig River and named after a Franciscan friar, Fr. Fernando de Moraga. I have found out that this plaza was actually where the first ice cream shop, Clarke’s Ice Cream Parlor, that we had way back in 1908 stood, along with Heacock’s Department Store during the 1900s, La Estrella Del Norte in the early 1900s, and the Classic Savory in the 1950s that is still standing strong up to this day. We all know that the Escolta was the center of commerce from 1594 until the 1960s, and we can’t deny the beauty that our Manila holds.

"I miss the Escolta. I miss what it once was. I do hope that the whole area of Binondo, Plaza Moraga, Plaza Santa Cruz, and specifically the Escolta can be revitalized. I’ve seen efforts by the younger generation to clean up the streets and clean up Pasig with boats ferrying tourists to the old "downtown" area. Their passion and reverence for our heritage may be the only thing that can save this once beautiful district. Mr. Lou Gopal of Manila Nostalgia

The photos are credited to their rightful owners:
https://commons.wikim
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
https://uwm.edu
edia.org/wiki/File:Plaza_Moraga,_Manila_-_Flickr.jpg
http://www.lougopal.com/manila/?p=2144
Google maps
Tumblr at Jan James Andres

30/10/2022

The Church of San Ignacio

As I walked the streets of Intramuros, I couldn’t bear anything in mind about the stories that my beautiful hometown holds. I'm in great admiration and fascinated to know that the Museo de Intramuros was actually the Church of San Ignacio completed in 1899 and was designed for the Jesuits by architect Félix Roxas, Sr. in the neoclassical style.

Way back between 1587 and 1879, the San Ignacio Church stood in the former Colegio de Manila and what is now the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

The church is dedicated to honouring Saint Ignatius of Loyola. It was designed by Jesuit priest-architect Gianantonio Campioni in the Baroque style, and after the construction of the first site in 1590, it was tremendously damaged by an earthquake during the 1600’s. The reconstruction started during the 1620's; however, the church slowly deteriorated from 1768 to 1784.

In 1852, another earthquake occurred, causing damage to the facade, and the nave of the church was the only one left standing. The San Ignacio Church was moved to Calle Arzobispo, where the Museo de Intramuros stands, in 1879. The facade was also one of the casualties during the Battle of Manila in 1945.

The college and church site were taken over by the military and became the Cuarteles de España. In 1900, when the American 31st Infantry took over from the Spanish, the church site became a
basketball court for soldiers.

After the war, the Intramuros Administration took over the edifice and planned its reconstruction in 1979 as part of the Museo de Intramuros with the help of architects, artisans, and engineers to maintain its baroque, neoclassical beauty, and Renaissance style through its interiors by Isabelo Tampinco.

The interiors of the first church, or the 17th century San Ignacio Church, were painted in 1700 by the Jesuit brother Manuel Rodriguez, assisted by Tagalog apprentices.

The photos are all credited to their rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.
Source: wikipedia.org
Plm,edu.ph, Google maps, Jun Acullador flickr, Intramuros Administration, Deviantart, The Urban Roamer and NoliSoli.

24/10/2022

I hope we could get digital copies..

Jose Rizal scribbled on some of the books in this library.

22/10/2022

The Puertas of Intramuros

Puerta, meaning gate in Spanish, The Puertas of Intramuros played a very huge role during the Spanish colonial era as a passage for the Spanish governor, governor general, Dr. Jose Rizal and the Spanish Filipino residents back in the days. There are a total of eight gates in Intramuros, although some of them are no longer standing and will be a memory for many from the beautiful picturesque of every photograph that we may find in the museums or even on the web.

PUERTA DE BANDERAS
This is one of the examples of a gate that is no longer standing inside the walls. Built in 1662, this was the Governor-General’s Gate. It was destroyed by an earthquake and was never rebuilt.

PUERTA DE POSTIGO
Postigo, or postern, or a small gate in Spanish. The gate was named after the Palacio del Gobernador. The passage directly led to the Spanish governor and the archbishop of Manila. In 1896, the National Hero of the Philippines, Dr. Jose Rizal, passed through this gate during his ex*****on in Bagumbayan. The gate was damaged during Battle of Manila in 1945. It was renovated and restored in 1982 and 1983.

PUERTA DE STA LUCIA
The gate was one of the main entrances of Intramuros in 1603. It was a gateway to Malecon Drive, a promenade along Manila Bay's shore; unfortunately, the gate was completely destroyed during the Battle of Manila in 1945 to allow American tanks and troops into the city. The gate was rebuilt in 1982.

PUERTA REAL
Also known as the Royal Gate, it was built in 1663, destroyed during the British invasion in 1762 and rebuilt in 1780. It was moved to the west for the defense plan for Intramuros. It was also damaged during the Battle of Manila in 1945. It was restored in 1969.

PUERTA DEL PARIAN
The gate was named after the "Parian de Arroceros," where it will lead us to the Metropolitan Theater. Parian meaning is pumunta dyan in Tagalog/market in spanish. The gate was built in 1593 and is one of the earliest entrances to Intramuros. "Parian de Arroceros" was the centre of commerce during the 16th and 17th centuries for Chinese merchants to trade for their services and goods before it was moved to Binondo Chinatown. The gate was also destroyed during the Battle of Manila and was restored in 1967.

PUERTA DE ALMACENES
Built in 1690, the gate was used for trading goods from the other side of the river; the puerta lasted until 1903 for the purpose of widening the wharves under the supervision of the American Military Engineers.

PUERTA DE SANTO DOMINGO/ PUERTA DE ADUANA
It was built during the 18th century and named after the Santo Domingo Church. It was a gateway to the river wharves, but it was torn down by the American Military Engineers in 1903 to make way from Intramuros to Magallanes Drive.

PUERTA DE ISABEL II
It was built in 1896 and named after the Spanish monarch, Queen Isabel II, whose statue is also erected in front of the gate. The gate became the route for the Tranvia, or street car, during the 19th century. It was also damaged during the Battle of Manila in 1945 and was restored afterwards in 1966.

Photos and data from Mr. John Tewell, Wikipedia.org, and Intramuros Administration. The photos are all credited to their rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended.