Take A Walk In History At Fort Santiago

If you are a history buff and a travel bug as well, let me suggest a place where you could experience a bit of Spanish times in Manila by visiting the famous Fort Santiago.

Located in Intramuros, the former famed Walled City in the city of Manila, Fort Santiago in one of the Philippines’ historical landmark currently preserved and managed by the Intramuros Administration.

I had been there several times, beginning in my university days at the University of Santo Tomas.

And each time I visit, I couldn’t hide the fact that I would imagine the Philippines’ national hero Jose Rizal walk through the rough, dusty ground of Fort Santiago.

As you enter the fort, characterized by the preserved thick walls that serve as a reminder to the Philippines’ rich historical heritage, you’d find the place where Jose Rizal was imprisoned during the late 19^th Century and leading to his execution by firing squad in 1896.

Inside the preserved prison cell, were some of the clothes and pants he wore during his stay there, the old, wooden bed, the lamp and table, which had been witnesses to his many dark, cold nights under the tight watch of the Guardia Civil.

Just outside the house, you’d see the bronze embedded on the ground, marking the final footsteps Rizal took in his walk of death, from the prison cell to the place where he was actually executed.

Also within the compound of the Fort, you’d be able to find the Rizal shrine in memory of the great national hero of the Philippines, whose passion and love for the nation was best expressed when he wrote two classical novels—Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

The Fort, during Spanish times, also had prison dungeons, but was later, heavily damaged during World War II following the fierce battle between the Filipino-American forces against the Japanese Imperial Army.

Well, what you just read are tidbits of Spanish history in Philippine setting.

But if you’d love a first hand experience, nothing beats a well-planned visit at Manila’s treasured historical site.