The Walled City

If photography is your passion, travelling should go with it. So one of the first places I visited was Intramuros. I visited this old city for two reasons; one, because it's within the Metro and second, it's very photogenic.

Wall from behind San Agustin Church.

According to Wiki --Intramuros, located along the southern bank of the Pasig River, was built by the Spaniards in the 16th century and is the oldest district of the city of Manila. Its name, in Latin, intramuros, literally "within the walls", meaning within the wall enclosure of the city/fortress, also describes its structure as it is surrounded by thick, high walls and moats. During the Spanish colonial period, Intramuros was considered Manila itself.

Establishments are within old buildings and the guards are still fashioned in the colonial times.

I have been to this place long ago but sad to say, I don't remember my parents taking photos of the place. Now that photography is my new-found passion, I can’t just leave without capturing the beauty and the rich history of the place.

My parents and I went on a Sunday in June and I was ecstatic to find out that we were the only ones touring the walled city. I am happy to see that most of it is preserved but at the same time sad to see that the urban poor of manila has found a way to settle some parts of the walled city.

It being a Sunday, my parents and I decided to attend mass at San Agustin church. San Agustin church is a significant monument to the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, being the first religious structure built in the island of Luzon in 1570, after the Spanish relocated from Cebu in the south. It boasts the best Spanish Church architecture of it's time. No wonder, from the facade to the interiors, the site was just astounding.

San Agustin Church's facade.

We trudged the cobblestone paved roads in the city and made our way to the Manila Cathedral. Manila Cathedral was built in the 1580's just a few years after San Agustin church was completed. The building, has since been destroyed five times, which makes the interiors look a lot more modern than San Agustin Church, due to the renovations that took place.

The Manila Cathedral's facade.

I was happy with my photos and I couldn’t wait to get home to see them, so we made our way out of the walled city. On the way I saw this really old unlabeled building. I wonder what this is, but I was able to take one of my best photos out of it.

This is what I consider the best photo of the entire tour.

As any traveler would say, “If these walls could talk…”. The old stone walls of this city has stood witness to the most noteworthy events in history and I hope that these photos have given it justice.

If these walls could talk…