BRIEF HISTORY

CULTURAL HERITAGE

• DURING THE SPANISH ERA, INTRAMUROS WAS THE SEAT OF

GOVERNMENT AND CENTER OF RELIGION, EDUCATION, AND
ECONOMY. TODAY, IT’S MOSTLY A TOURIST ATTRACTION THAT IS
DIRECTLY SUPERVISED BY THE INTRAMUROS ADMINISTRATION.
SITUATED WITHIN ITS WALLS IS FORT SANTIAGO, A CITADEL THAT
WAS BUILT BY MIGUEL LÓPEZ DE LEGAZPI UPON HIS ARRIVAL IN
MANILA. A CLOSE “COUSIN” OF THIS DEFENSE FORTRESS IS FORT
SAN PEDRO IN CEBU, WHICH WAS ALSO USED BY LEGAZPI AS A
MILITARY DEFENSE STRUCTURE.
5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FORT
SANTIAGO
• IT WAS NAMED AFTER THE SAINT JAMES, THE PATRON SAINT OF SPAIN
• IT WAS BUILT BY MIGUEL LÓPEZ DE LEGAZPI
• APPROXIMATELY 600 AMERICAN PRISONERS OF WAR DIED OF SUFFOCATION
AND HUNGER IN ITS DUNGEONS
• JOSE RIZAL, THE NATIONAL HERO OF THE PHILIPPINES, SPENT HIS LAST DAYS
HOLED UP IN FORT SANTIAGO
• THE FORT IS SHAPED IN A NEAR TRIANGULAR FORM AND HAS A PERIMETER OF
620 METERS (2,030 FEET).
EXPERIENCE
THINGS YOU CAN SEE INSIDE FORT
SANTIAGO – MUSEO NI RIZAL
 ADDITIONAL CULTURAL HERITAGE
CAGSAWA RUINS CALLE CRISOLOGO IN VIGAN