THE FIRST 10 SPANISH SETTLEMENT (CITY AND TOWN) — THEN AND NOW

Spanish settlement in the Philippines first took place in the 16th century, during the Spanish colonial
period of the islands.

FORT SAN PEDRO

A MILITARY DEFENCE STRUCTURE, BUILT BY SPANISH AND INDIGENOUS CEBUANO LABORERS LOCATED
IN THE AREA NOW CALLED PLAZA INDEPEDENCIA, IN THE PIER AREA OF CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES.

INTRAMUROS MANILA

Away from the gridlocked traffic and high rise buildings of Manila, lies a old Spanish quarter quite unlike
anything you’ll see in the city. Intramuros, meaning “within the walls” once claimed position as the
military, political and religious of the Spanish empire in Asia and now ironically is one of the most
peaceful places for miles. We spent two days exploring this forgotten world and all its dark, secrets.

ZAMBOANGA CITY
Spanish explorers, led by Ferdinand Magellan, arrived in the Philippine archipelago in 1521. Zamboanga
was chosen in 1569 as the site of the Spanish settlement and garrison on La Caldera (now part of
Barangay Recodo). Spain granted the former Rajahnate of Sanmalan protectorate status against the Sulu
Sultanate, its former overlord and the kingdom's name was hispanized into Zamboanga and made a city.
Zamboanga City was one of the main strongholds in Mindanao, supporting colonizing efforts in the
south of the island and making way for Christian settlements. It also served as a military outpost,
protecting the island against foreign invaders and Moro pirates.

VIGAN CITY

it is one of the few Spanish colonial towns left in the Philippines whose old structures have mostly
remained intact, and it is well known for its sett pavements and a unique architecture of the Spanish
Philippines colonial era which fuses Native Philippine and Oriental building designs and construction,
with colonial Spanish architecture that is still abundant in the area, mainly the Bahay na Bato houses and
an Earthquake Baroque church. Former Philippine president Elpidio Quirino, the sixth President of the
Philippines, was born in Vigan, at the former location of the Provincial Jail (his father was a warden); he
resided in the Syquia Mansion.
CITY OF ILOILO

Founded in 1566 when the Spaniards established a settlement area between the towns of Oton and the
city's present district of Villa de Arevalo, Iloilo City is the second Spanish colonial center after Cebu in the
Philippine islands. It is one of the Royal Spanish Cities in the Philippines in the Spanish Asia along with
Naga and Manila.

CAGAYAN DE ORO
The caves have yielded numerous artifacts, but most areas have been badly damaged by guano
collectors and amateur treasure hunters. Associated with the cave is the Huluga Open Site, believed to
be the site of the primary pre-colonial settlement in the region identified as "Himologan" by the first
Spanish missionaries. The site is located about eight kilometers from present-day Cagayan de Oro.

VICEROYALTY OF NEW SPAIN

After the 1521 Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire, conqueror Hernán Cortés named the territory
New Spain, and established the new capital of Mexico City on the site of the Tenochtitlan, the capital of
the Mexica (Aztec) Empire. Central Mexico became the base of expeditions of exploration and conquest,
expanding the territory claimed by the Spanish Empire.

CEBU CITY

On April 7, 1521, Portuguese explorer at the service of the Spanish Crown and leader of the first
expedition to circumnavigate the world, Ferdinand Magellan, landed in Cebu. He was welcomed by
Rajah Humabon (also known as Sri Humabon or Rajah Humabara), the grandson of Sri Lumay, together
with his wife and about 700 native islanders. Magellan, however, was killed in the Battle.
MEXICO CITY

The 2020 population for the city proper was 9,209,944, with a land area of 1,485 square kilometers (573
sq mi). According to the most recent definition agreed upon by the federal and state governments, the
population of Greater Mexico City is 21,804,515, which makes it the sixth-largest metropolitan area in
the world, the second-largest urban agglomeration in the Western Hemisphere (behind São Paulo,
Brazil), and the largest Spanish-speaking city (city proper) in the world.

MADRID
Madrid lies on the River Manzanares in the central part of the Iberian Peninsula. Capital city of both
Spain (almost without interruption since 1561) and the surrounding autonomous community of Madrid
(since 1983),[13] it is also the political, economic and cultural centre of the country.

KINGDOM OF CASTILE

The County of Castile, bordered in the south by the northern reaches of the Spanish Sistema Central
mountain system, was just north of modern-day Madrid province. It was re-populated by inhabitants of
Cantabria, Asturias, Vasconia and Visigothic and Mozarab origins. It had its own Romance dialect and
customary laws.
From the first half of the 9th century until the middle of the century, in which it came to be paid more
attention, it was administered and defended by the monarchs of Leon, due to the increased incursions
from the Emirate of Córdoba.