Intramuros facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Intramuros
A portrait of "Intramuros" Manila in 1684 by Alain Mallet
Intramuros Location in Metro Manila
Country	Philippines
Region	National Capital Region
City	Manila
Congressional District	5th District
Settled	June 12, 1571 (1571-June-12)
Founded by	Miguel López de Legazpi
Area
• Total	0.67 km2 (0.26 sq mi)
Population  (2015)
• Total	5,935
Time zone	UTC+08:00 (Philippine Standard Time)

Intramuros (Latin for "within the walls") is the 0.67 square kilometers (0.26 sq mi) historic walled area within the modern City of Manila, Philippines. It is administered by the Intramuros Administration, which was created through the Presidential Decree No. 1616 signed on April 10, 1979.

Intramuros is also called the Walled City, and at the time of the Spanish Colonial Period was synonymous to the City of Manila. It was the seat of government and political power when the Philippines was a component realm of the Spanish Empire. It was also the center of religion, education and economy. The standard way of life in Intramuros became the standard way of life throughout the Philippines. The Manila Galleons which sailed the Pacific for 250 years, carried goods to and from Intramuros (Manila) and Acapulco, Mexico.

Intramuros

Construction of the defensive walls was started by the Spanish colonial government in the late 16th century to protect the city from foreign invasions. The Walled City was originally located along the shores of the Manila Bay, south of the entrance to Pasig River. Guarding the old city is Fort Santiago, its citadel located at the mouth of the river. Land reclamations during the early 20th century subsequently obscured the walls and fort from the bay. The Battle of Manila in 1945 devastated Intramuros. It is the place where the occupying Japanese Imperial Army made their last stand against American soldiers and Filipino guerillas. The battle destroyed its churches, universities, houses, and government buildings, most of which dated back to the Spanish Colonial Period.

Intramuros, particularly the Fort Santiago, was designated as a National Historical Landmark in 1951. The Intramuros Administration, created through Presidential Decree No. 1616 that was signed on April 10, 1979, is tasked to rebuild, redevelop, administer and preserve remaining buildings, structures and fortifications of Intramuros. San Agustin Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the Baroque Churches of the Philippines, is located within Intramuros.

Images for kids

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  The sketch of the Plaza de Roma Manila by Fernando Brambila, a member of the Malaspina Expedition during their stop in Manila in 1792

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  Plaza Santo Tomas is where the Santo Domingo Church, Colegio de Santa Rosa and the original University of Santo Tomas were built during the Spanish Colonial Period

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  A 1734 map of Intramuros, from the Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas

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  An 1851 map of Intramuros

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  Baluarte de San Diego

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  Main entrance of Fort Santiago, Intramuros

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  Plaza de Roma was the main square of the Walled City

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  Casa Manila is an example of Bahay na bato architecture

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  1902 photo taking by a US Military Personnel showing Spanish artillery

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  Aerial view of the Walled City, 1939

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  Destruction of the Walled City in the aftermath of the Battle of Manila.

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  Ayuntamiento de Manila

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  The Bayleaf Intramuros Hotel is an exemplary model for adaptive reuse of postwar buildings.

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  Atop City Walls of Intramuros

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  Watchtower of the Baluarte de San Andres

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  Aduana Building ruins

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  Modernist buildings can also be seen in Intramuros (bottom). The district has been criticized as an example of inauthentic Spanish colonial period design.

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  Colegio de San Juan de Letran

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  Colegio de Santa Rosa

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  Lyceum of the Philippines University

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  Manila High School

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  Aerial photo of the Campus of Mapúa University

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  University of the City of Manila

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  Manila Cathedral is the seat of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila. The basilica has merited a papal endorsement from Pope Gregory XIII and three apostolic visits from Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis.

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  The San Agustin Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the collective title Baroque Churches of the Philippines.

See also

In Spanish: Intramuros para niños