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Intramuros
Nickname(s): The Walled City
Location of Intramuros in Manila's 5th legislative district
Country	Philippines
Region	National Capital Region
City	Manila
Congressional districts	Part of the 5th district of Manila
Barangays	5
Area
- Total	0.67 km2 (0.26 sq mi)
Population (2007[1])
- Total	5,015
- Density	7,485.1/km2 (19,386.3/sq mi)

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, the capital of the Philippines. 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.

History

Pre-hispanic settlement

The site of Intramuros was originally a large Indianized-Malayan-Islamic settlement named "Maynila", ruled by Datus, Rajahs and a Sultan. The name came from "may nila", "nila" being a water plant (Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea) whose star-shaped flowers clustered in abundance along the riverbanks. "May-nila," transliterates as "There is nila (here)". Maynila is also sometimes called Maynilad because nila is popularly referred to as nilad by people unfamiliar with the plant, a correction asserted by historians Ambeth Ocampo and Carmen Guerrero Nakpil.^[2]

The strategic location of Maynila, being on the Pasig River and the Manila Bay, made it an ideal location for indigenous Tagalog and kapampangan tribes to trade with other Asian civilizations, including Chinese, Indian and Islamic merchants who had come from China, India, Borneo and Indonesia. Maynila was also the seat of power for native chiefs who ruled the area before Europeans first arrived in Luzon.

Spanish colonial period

Coat of arms of the insigne y siempre leal Ciudad de Manila, conceded in 1596.

In 1564, Spanish explorers led by Miguel López de Legazpi sailed from Mexico, and arrived on the island of Cebu in February 13, 1565. There they established the first Spanish colony in the Islands. Having heard of the rich resources of Manila by natives, López de Legazpi dispatched two of his Lieutenant-commanders, Martín de Goiti and Juan de Salcedo to explore the northern regions of the Visayas.

In 1570, the Spaniards arrived in the island of Luzon. After quarrels and misunderstanding had erupted between the Islamic natives and the Spaniards, both groups fought for the control of lands and settlements. In 1571, after several months of warfare, the natives were defeated, and the Spaniards made a peace pact with the Muslim tribal councils, Rajah Sulaiman III, Rajah Lakandula, and Rajah Matanda; who, in return, handed over Manila to the Spaniards.

Citing the rich resources and location of Manila, López de Legazpi declared the area as the new capital of the Spanish colony in the Philippines on June 24, 1571. The King of Spain, delighted at the new conquest achieved by López de Legazpi and his men, awarded the city a coat of arms and declaring it Ciudad Insigne y Siempre Leal ("Distinguished and ever loyal city").

The planning of the city of Manila was commenced by López de Legazpi who had become the first Governor general on the islands. He established forts, roads, churches and schools. The plans for Intramuros were based on King Philip II of Spain's Royal Ordinance issued on July 3, 1573 in San Lorenzo, Spain. Its design was based upon a star fort or trace italienne (a very flat structure composed of many triangular bastions, specifically designed to cover each other, and a ditch) and covered 64 hectares of land, surrounded by 8 feet thick stones and high walls that rise 22 feet. It was built to protect the seat of the Spanish government from hostile native revolts, and raiding Chinese sea pirates.

Intramuros was completed in 1606 and it served as the center of political, military and religious power of the Spaniards during the time that the Philippines was a colony of Spain. Inside Intramuros; there are several Roman Catholic churches, like the Manila Cathedral and the San Agustin Church, convents and church-run schools, such as the Universidad de Santo Tomás, the Colegio de San Juan de Letrán and the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, which were usually being run by religious orders such as the Dominicans, Augustinians, Franciscans and Jesuits. The Governor's Palace, the official residence of the Spanish Viceroyalties to the Philippines was originally in Intramuros before it was officially moved to Malacañang Palace and Fort Santiago. Only Spaniards and mestizos were allowed to take part on political issues and take residence inside the walled city. Christian natives and Chinese were allowed to enter, but Spanish officials prevented them from living inside. The vast majority of the natives and Chinese residents lived outside the walled city.

Barangays

Original building structures

A sketch plan of Intramuros (original caption: Plano dela Plaza de Manila), 1898.

Note: parenthesis () indicates the new buildings that occupy the same site today.

Churches

• Lourdes Church (El Almanecer)
• Manila Cathedral*
• San Agustin Church*
• Santo Domingo Church (Bank of the Philippine Islands)
• San Francisco Church (Mapúa Institute of Technology)
• San Ignacio Church* (Ruins)
• San Nicolas de Tolentino Church (Manila Bulletin)
• Beaterio de la Compañia de Jesus* (Light and Sound Museum)
• Convento de Sta. Clara (Empty Lot)
• Chapel of the Third Venerable Order (Mapúa Chapel)

Schools

• Ateneo Municipal de Manila (Clamshell 1)
• Beaterio-Colegio de Sta. Catalina (Letran Elementary School)
• Colegio de San Juan de Letrán*
• Colegio de Sta. Isabel (Clamshell 2)
• Colegio de Sta. Rosa*
• (Manila High School*)
• Mapúa Institute of Technology
• (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila)
• Lyceum of the Philippines University
• University of Santo Tomas (BF Condominiums) "Bound by Plaza Santo Tomas and Ayuntamiento (ruins)"
• Universidad Maximo de San Ignacio (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila)

Other buildings

• Palacio del Gobernador* (Commission on Elections)
• Audiencia (former Supreme Court building and the Old Commission on Elections*)^[3] (Ruins)
• Ayuntamiento* (Ruins)
• Hospital de San Juan de Dios (Lyceum of the Philippines University)
• Intendencia* (Ruins)
• Palacio Arzobispal*
• Palacio de Sta. Potenciana (Philippine Red Cross)

World War II

At the end of World War II, much of Intramuros was damaged by the returning joint American and Filipino military forces.

In 1942, when the Japanese forces invaded the Philippines; U.S. forces led by General Douglas McArthur realized that Manila was indefensible so he declared it an Open City. He regrouped the USAFFE forces in the Bataan peninsula, only to be trapped there by the advancing Japanese army.

Upon their return in February 23, 1945, United States forces, including Philippine Commonwealth troops, shelled Manila, including Intramuros, to flush out the remaining 400 or so Japanese soldiers, in the process of the shelling 100,000 citizens of Manila died (see Manila Massacre). Intramuros was in ruins following the fighting, and the only structure that survived was the San Agustin Church; almost no other buildings remained standing.

Present day Intramuros

In the 1980s, under the direction of former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos, the Intramuros Administration restored the city and at present the walled city is the only district of Manila where old Spanish-era influences were retained. Much of the development of present-day Manila occurred outside the gates of Intramuros, leaving the surviving walls, streets and churches of Intramuros minimally touched by modernization, although outlets of Jollibee, McDonald's and Starbucks now sit alongside distinguished educational institutions within its walls. The old moats that surrounded Intramuros have been filled up and transformed into a golf course where locals and foreign nationals play the sport. The garrison that was Fort Santiago is now a tourist spot where visitors can enjoy the nostalgic romance of a bygone Spanish legacy within its gardens. In 2003, during Visit Philippines Year, Tourism Secretary Richard J. Gordon cleaned up Intramuros with the help of student and civilian volunteers as well as raised funds to light up the place and build a lights and sound museum.

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

Intramuros now houses some of the higher education institutions in the Philippines. These are the city-owned Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, the technical school Mapúa Institute of Technology, Lyceum of the Philippines University, Colegio de San Juan de Letran and high schools such as the Manila High School,and Colegio de Santa Rosa.

Following the design of medieval fortifications, along the massive walls of Intramuros are strategically located bulwarks: baluarte, ravelins: ravellin, redoubts: reducto. Entrance to the city are through gates: puerta, most of which have been restored or rebuilt. Most of these features have names such as Baluarte de San Diego, Baluarte de San Francisco de Dilao, Baluarte de San Gabriel, Baluarte de Sta. Barbara, Baluarte de San Andres; Puerta Real, Puerta Isabel II, Puerta del Parian, Puerta Almacenes, Postigo del Palacio, Puerta Sta. Lucia.

Preserving Intramuros' Heritage

In her article "Intramuros, Manila" (Inquirer.net), Rose Beatrix C. Angeles writes about the need to preserve national heritage that is Intramuros

Below is a direct quotation from the author's article:

Square foot for square foot, no other site in the country holds as much national historical interest as Intramuros. Even its very ground is unique as it holds artifacts that recount the ages of trade even prior to Spanish conquest. Every single conqueror of this country flew its flag over the Intramuros, and all – except the Americans – retreated to the safety behind its walls prior to ejection.

The oldest fortified city in the country needs help. It needs increased funding to provide, among others, more restored sites, an appropriate museum for the Intramuros Administration’s collection, removal of informal settlers, further archeological assessment and so on ad nauseam.

The IA has been doing a valiant job despite its myriad internal problems but much of its work had been delayed by lack of funds and political will, just like nearly every other government agency. The last thing it needs is to keep fending off covetous government officials whose minds are far, very far, from heritage''.^[4]

Source: Rose Beatrix C. Angeles, "Intramuros, Manila", INQUIRER.net 07/09/2008 Intramuros Manila

Intramuros gallery

Puerta del Parian	Puerta Isabela II	Palacio del Gobernador	Manila Cathedral
Fort Santiago	Reducto de San Pedro	Plaza de la Fuerza	Casa Manila
Plaza de Roma, with the statue of King Carlos IV of Spain	Statue of Philip II of Spain in Intramuros	Intramuros Golf Course	A typical Calesa in Intramuros
A statue of Queen Isabela II at the entrance of Puerta Isabela II

References

External links

• Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation Intramuros Map - dead link
• Department of Tourism's WOWPhilippines Intramuros Virtual Map - dead link
• Fort Santiago Panoramic View
• Intramuros Travel Guide from Wikitravel.

Coordinates: 14°35′27″N 120°58′30″E / 14.59083°N 120.975°E / 14.59083; 120.975

From Wikitravel

Manila Cathedral, facing the main square of Intramuros

Intramuros [1] (Latin: within the walls) is the historic centre and oldest district of Manila, the capital city of the Philippines.

Also known as the Ciudad Murada (Walled City) because of its most famous feature: a nearly three-mile-long circuit of massive stone walls and fortifications that almost completely surrounds the entire district.

San Agustín Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the city's foundation in 1571 to the end of Spanish rule in 1898, Intramuros was Manila.

The Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi laid the foundations of the new capital on the former site of Maynilad, a palisaded riverside settlement ruled by a native chieftain. To protect the inhabitants from attack, in the late 1500s construction began on a series of stone walls and fortifications that would eventually enclose a pentagonal area approximately 0.67 sq km in size, within which lay a tight grid-like system of streets and a main square surrounded by government structures. The defensive curtain was more or less completed by the 1700s, although improvements and other construction work continued well into the next century.

Within the protective walls rose a city of stone palaces, churches, monasteries, convents, schools, and fine courtyard houses. In the centuries that followed, Manila (meaning Intramuros) served as the capital of the Spanish East Indies - the centre of commerce, education, government, and religion in Spain's most distant imperial possession.

Except for a brief period under British rule (1762-1764), Intramuros remained a Spanish city until 1898, when the U.S. took control of the Philippines at the end of the Spanish-American War.

In 1945, during the fierce Battle of Manila between American, Filipino and Japanese forces, Intramuros was almost completely destroyed. Instead of rebuilding on the same site, many of the religious orders and educational institutions that once resided in the walled district packed up and moved elsewhere. Although steps were taken to protect the city's historic character, vague laws and poor enforcement led to many unsightly modern buildings being built upon the ruins of the old. In 1979, the Intramuros Administration was established and stronger measures introduced in order to preserve what was left.

Many of the city's ancient gates and most of the walls have since been restored. On the other hand, there has been almost no progress in the reconstruction of key landmarks (such as major churches and old government buildings), due in part to a serious lack of funds and the existence of new structures.

Map of Intramuros and the surrounding area

By taxi

For visitors who don't mind shelling out a little extra - and putting up with rush-hour traffic jams - Manila's relatively inexpensive taxis are probably the easiest and most direct way of reaching Intramuros from elsewhere in the city. The current flagdown rate is ₱30, and the fare goes up in increments of ₱2.50 every few hundred metres (or 2 min of idle time).

By train

The nearest railway station is Central Terminal (LRT-1 / Yellow Line) [2]. Though within sight of the eastern walls, the station is a pretty long walk from the western part of Intramuros (where many of the major sights are located), so tourists headed in that direction might consider covering the rest of the journey by taxi.

By water bus

The Pasig River Ferry [3] stops at Plaza México station, not far from the ruins of the Intendencia (Aduana) building.

Get around

It's hard to get hopelessly lost in Intramuros, thanks to the district's orderly street plan. General Luna (also known by its old name, Calle Real del Palacio) is the closest thing Intramuros has to a main street and gives visitors easy access to most of the major attractions, including San Agustín Church and Manila Cathedral. Follow this street all the way to its northwestern tip and you'll find yourself in front of Fort Santiago; go the other way and you'll eventually end up in Rizal Park, which is just over the border in the nearby Ermita district.

If you do lose your bearings, don't panic. Keep in mind that except for a small section near the river, the entire district is surrounded by walls - so there probably isn't much of a chance that you'll inadvertently end up in the wider city beyond. A quick look at a map (and perhaps a little help from passers-by) should easily put you back on track.

A calesa parked in front of Manila Cathedral

• By calesa - First used on the streets of Manila in the 18th century, these horse-drawn carriages can usually be found waiting for passengers near Fort Santiago. A nice, old-fashioned way to get around Intramuros. To avoid getting ripped off, it may be a good idea to ask about the route and confirm the price of the trip before setting out.

• On foot - Walking from one attraction to another is a popular way to get around Intramuros. Just mind the cars: there are almost no pavements to speak of so pedestrians usually share space with automobiles. It is even possible to walk on some sections of the old city walls.

See

Walls, gates, and fortifications

Except for a small open stretch near the River Pasig, Intramuros is completely surrounded by the massive stone walls that gave the district its name. Starting from the northwestern end of the fortifications and moving anti-clockwise (Note: This is not a comprehensive list!):

Main gate of Fort Santiago

• Fort Santiago, Santa Clara (on the NW end of Plaza Moriones), ☎ +632-5271572, [4]. 8AM-6PM daily. The former military headquarters of the Spanish colonial government. Although the fort sustained very heavy damage during the 1945 Battle of Manila, several key portions of the compound were subsequently restored - including its iconic gate with a wooden relief featuring Santiago Matamoros (St. James the Moor-slayer), the patron saint of Spain. It is now considered a major landmark and one of Manila's most popular tourist attractions, partly because José Rizal - the national hero of the Philippines - was imprisoned here prior to his execution on 30 Dec 1896. The Rizal Shrine (see Museums, below), a small museum dedicated to his life and work, is housed in a restored section of one of the fort's former barracks. ₱75, ₱50 students/children.  edit

• Postigo del Palacio, Santa Lucia (a short distance from the back of the Palacio del Gobernador). Built in 1662, renovated 1782-83. On 30 Dec 1896, national hero José Rizal was taken through this gate en route to the place of his execution, in what is known today as Rizal Park (see related entry on the district sub-page for Ermita).  edit

• Puerta de Santa Lucia

• Baluartillo de San Jose and Reducto de San Pedro

Ruins of Baluarte de San Diego

• Baluarte de San Diego, Santa Lucia cor. Muralla, [5]. Dating from the 17th century, this formidable bastion surrounds the remains of the round fort of Nuestra Señora de Guia, the first stone fort built in Manila. Severely damaged during the Second World War, the Baluarte de San Diego was restored in the 1980s and is now a major tourist attraction.  edit

• Puerta Real and Revellin de Real del Bagumbayan

• Baluarte de San Andres

• Baluarte de San Francisco de Dilao

• Puerta del Parian and Revellin del Parian

• Baluarte de San Gabriel

• Puerta de Isabel II, Magallanes Drive (near Colegio de San Juan de Letrán). Built in 1861, this was the last gate to be opened in Intramuros' walls under Spanish rule. A fine statue of Queen Isabel II of Spain stands in front of the gate.  edit

Statue of King Carlos IV of Spain in Plaza de Roma

• Plaza de Roma, General Luna (Calle Real del Palacio) cor. Andres Soriano (Aduana) (in front of Manila Cathedral), [6]. Bounded by the Manila Cathedral to the southeast, the Palacio del Gobernador to the southwest and the Ayuntamiento to the northeast, this small plot of land is Intramuros' very own plaza mayor (main square). At the centre of the plaza stands a monument to King Carlos IV of Spain, cast in 1808 and erected in 1824 by a colonial government grateful for his having dispatched a shipment of smallpox vaccine to the Philippines.  edit

• Plaza Moriones - Located in front of Fort Santiago, this is where the Galeria de la Revolucion Filipina is situated.

• Plaza México

• Plaza Sto. Tomas

• Plazuela de Sta. Isabel - a memorial monument of the civilian victims of World War II can be found here.

• Bahay Tsinoy, 32 Anda cor. Cabildo, ☎ +632-5276083 / +632-5266796 (info@bahaytsinoy.org, fax: +632-5276085), [7]. Tu-Su 1PM-5PM. A museum dedicated to the history and contributions of the Filipino-Chinese community. ₱100, ₱60 students/children.  edit

Casa Manila (courtyard)

• Casa Manila, General Luna (Calle Real del Palacio) cor. Real (across the street from San Agustín Church), ☎ +632-5274084, [8]. Tu-Su 9AM-6PM. A recreation of a typical upper-class colonial Intramuros home. The interiors are filled with antique furniture, artwork, and other artifacts from the Spanish era, all carefully arranged to illustrate what life was like for wealthy families of that period. ₱75, ₱50 students/children.  edit

• Light and Sound Museum, Santa Lucia cor. Victoria, ☎ +632-5242827, [9]. Using images, sounds, and animatronics, the museum takes visitors on a journey through Philippine history under Spanish rule. The facility is housed in a building whose facade reproduces the appearance of the old motherhouse of the Beaterio de la Compañía de Jesús, which stood on the site until its destruction during the Second World War. ₱100 per person for groups of 10 or more; smaller groups are reportedly charged a higher per-person rate (contact the museum to confirm arrangements).  edit

• Rizal Shrine, Fort Santiago, [10]. Tu-Su 8AM-5PM. Located within the walls of Fort Santiago (see above), this small museum contains exhibits related to the life and work of José Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines.  edit

• San Agustín Museum, General Luna (Calle Real del Palacio) cor. Real (right next to San Agustín Church), ☎ +632-5274060 / +632-5274061. 8AM-noon, 1PM-6PM daily. Adjacent to the San Agustín Church (see Churches, below), this museum's very impressive - if rather poorly labelled - collection includes Spanish colonial-era ecclesiastical vestments, sacred vessels, religious art, manuscripts, and other important cultural artifacts. The building itself is steeped in history, fashioned out of the surviving portions of a monastery that was heavily damaged during the Second World War. ₱100, ₱50 college students, ₱45 high-school students, ₱40 elementary school students.  edit

Manila Cathedral (interior)

• Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Manila Cathedral), Cabildo cor. Beaterio (in front of Plaza de Roma), ☎ +632-5271796 / +632-5273093 / +632-5273889 / +632-5283876 (mlacathedral@yahoo.com, fax: +632-5360192), [11]. Destroyed and rebuilt several times over, the Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila and one of the most important churches in the Philippines. The current Neo-Romanesque iteration (consecrated in 1958) is the eighth - or sixth, depending on who's counting - to stand on the site since 1581, succeeding the 19th-century structure that was levelled to the ground during the 1945 Battle of Manila. A small exhibit detailing the Cathedral's history can be found in one of the side chapels near the entrance. Masses are offered daily; refer to the official website for a full schedule of liturgical services. Free, but donations are appreciated.   edit

San Agustín Church (interior)

• San Agustín Church, General Luna (Calle Real del Palacio) cor. Real, ☎ (museum numbers) +632-5274060 / +632-5274061, [12]. A true Spanish Baroque treasure, with magnificent trompe-l'œil ceilings and a splendid high altar. Consecrated in 1607, this ancient building managed to survive the Second World War (although it, too, sustained heavy damage) and is said to be the oldest stone church currently standing in the Philippines. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993 as part of the group "Baroque Churches of the Philippines". Miguel López de Legazpi (1502-1572), the first Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines, is buried in a tomb near the high altar; other funerary monuments can be found along the walls or set into the floor. Much of San Agustín's neighbouring monastery was damaged during the war and was subsequently refashioned into exhibition space for the San Agustín Museum (see Museums, above). The church is a very popular venue for weddings; don't be surprised if you encounter a ceremony in progress during your visit. Church itself is free, but visiting the adjacent museum requires a paid ticket.  edit

• Ayuntamiento, Andres Soriano (Aduana) cor. Cabildo (right next to Plaza de Roma), [13]. Completely rebuilt in 1884 after the disastrous earthquake of 1863, the seat of Manila's colonial-era city council once had some of the grandest interiors in Intramuros. The 1945 Battle of Manila left the building a gutted shell, of which only the first storey survives; it now suffers the indignity of serving as a parking lot.  edit

The ruins of the Intendencia

• Intendencia (Aduana), Andres Soriano (Aduana) cor. Muralla (not far from the riverbank), [14]. Built in the 1820s and reconstructed after the 1863 earthquake, this building once housed the Spanish colonial government's customs offices and other administrative units. It was damaged during the war but survived to re-enter government service - at one point housing the Central Bank of the Philippines - only to fall victim to a 1979 fire that caused massive destruction. There are plans to restore the building (whose exterior walls have survived more or less intact) for the use of the National Archives.  edit

• San Ignacio Church, Arzobispo cor. Anda, [15]. Built by the Jesuits and consecrated in 1889, the church's magnificent interiors were completely destroyed in 1945. There are plans to restore the ruined building for use as an ecclesiastical museum.  edit

• ECJ Building, Santa Lucia cor. Real (near Puerta de Santa Lucia), [16]. The external appearance of this post-war building closely mimics that of the Augustinian Provincial House, an extension of the nearby San Agustín convent that was built on the site in the 19th century and destroyed by fire in 1932.  edit

• Palacio del Gobernador, General Luna (Calle Real del Palacio) cor. Andres Soriano (Aduana) (right next to Plaza de Roma), [17]. This eight-storey office building was erected in the late 1970s on the site of the Spanish Governor-General's official residence, which was destroyed in a powerful 1863 earthquake that also damaged many other structures in Intramuros. Sadly, the modern building looks absolutely nothing like its 19th-century namesake.  edit

• Club Intramuros Golf Course, Bonifacio Drive cor. Aduana Street, Port Area (30-45 min from the airport via Roxas Blvd), [18]. A few years after the Americans took over from the Spanish in 1898, the fetid, swamp-like moat around Intramuros was drained and filled in. The newly reclaimed land was later covered with grass, spiced with a few sand pits and sprinkled with water traps. Result: an 18 hole, par 66, 4,326-yard greensward that wraps around the city's ancient walls and makes for an interesting (if rather short) golfing experience.  edit

• The Silahis Center, 744 General Luna (Calle Real del Palacio), ☎ +632-5272111 (silahiscenter@silahis.com), [19]. Handmade Filipino goods and folk art. Other departments within the same showroom feature fine art, antiques, and books.  edit

• Chowking, FEM I Bldg, Andres Soriano (Aduana), ☎ +632-5271339 / +632-5272903, [20]. 7 AM to 10 PM. Chinese dishes with a Filipino twist. Branch store of a major fast-food chain. Menu prices start at ₱49 for light "value meals".  edit

• Greenwich, Ground Floor, FEM II Bldg, Andres Soriano (Aduana), ☎ +632-5271682 / +632-5220331 / +632-5270615, [21]. Fast-food-style pizza and pasta. Look elsewhere for authentic Italian cuisine, but it's a decent enough place if all you're after is a quick, tasty, reasonably priced meal.  edit

• Jollibee, Andres Soriano (Aduana) cor. Muralla, ☎ +632-5270489 / +632-5270505, [22]. M-F 6AM-8:30PM, 7AM-7PM weekends. Typical fast-food joint: burgers, fries, fried chicken and so on. Branch store of the country's largest homegrown fast-food chain.  edit

• Andria's Taste, Chamber 8, Puerta Isabel II, Muralla (in front of the Letran dormitory), ☎ +632-5366427 (andriastaste@gmail.com), [23]. Serves an assortment of popular dishes, including roast chicken and chicken sisig.  edit

• Bistro Marinero, General Luna (Calle Real del Palacio) cor. Santa Potenciana (near San Agustín), ☎ +632-5272261 / +632-5278461 loc. 367 or 373 (casa.marinero@nykfil.com.ph, fax: +632-5272234 / +632-5272264), [24]. The menu features a mix of Western and local dishes. Special "payday" buffets, combo meals, etc.  edit

• Max's Restaurant, 283 Cabildo, ☎ +632-5270532 to 33 (fax: +632-5270533), [25]. Part of a chain of popular family restaurants, Max's specialises in fried chicken (not the cheap fast-food variety!) and other Filipino favourites.  edit

• Barbara's, Plaza San Luis, General Luna (Calle Real del Palacio) (right across the street from San Agustín), ☎ +632-5273893 / +632-5274086, [26]. Housed in a Spanish colonial-style building a stone's throw from San Agustín Church, this centrally located restaurant serves traditional Filipino and Hispanic fare in an old-style setting.  edit

• Ilustrado, 744 General Luna (Calle Real del Palacio) (within the El Amanecer compound, a few blocks down the street from San Agustín), ☎ +632-5273674 (reservations@ilustradorestaurant.com.ph), [27]. Mainly Filipino-Spanish cuisine: rellenong bangus (stuffed milkfish), paella, and other traditional dishes. Fine dining in the heart of the walled city.  edit

• Starbucks, 15-A Puerta Isabel II, Muralla cor. Magallanes (near Puerta de Isabel II), ☎ +632-5274282, [28]. No matter where you go, you can't escape Starbucks. Sits not far from the historic Puerta de Isabel II, the last gate built in Intramuros.  edit

Sleep

Hotels of any kind - from the luxurious to the spartan - are easy to find in Manila, but there is a surprising lack of quality bed space within Intramuros itself. The nearest major tourist pit stop is the venerable Manila Hotel (see below), which stands just beyond the southern edge of the walled city's former moat. Other conveniently located hotels can be found in the neighbouring Ermita district.

Tourists willing to put up with (and pay for) long taxi rides might consider bedding down in the high-end hotels of the posh Makati business district, miles to the southeast.

• Manila Hotel, One Rizal Park, Roxas Blvd, ☎ +632-5270011 (resvn@manila-hotel.com.ph, fax: +632-5270022 to 24), [29]. Opened in 1912 on a prime site just outside the walls of Intramuros, the Manila Hotel is a well-known landmark and a historic location in itself. General Douglas MacArthur lived there from 1935 to 1941. Special online rates (currently much lower than published rates) and other offers can be viewed on the hotel's official website.  edit

Contact

The international telephone country code for the Philippines is 63. The area code for Metro Manila (including Intramuros) is 2.

For further information about this district, contact:

• Intramuros Administration, 5F, Palacio del Gobernador, General Luna cor. Andres Soriano, Intramuros, Manila, ☎ +632-5273138 (Tourism Marketing & Promotions Division) / +632-5272961 (Intramuros Visitors Centre), [30]. This government agency oversees preservation, restoration, and development projects in Intramuros.  edit

Get out

Manila's sprawling Rizal Park, the National Museum and many other attractions are located just over the border in the Ermita district, within sight of Intramuros' southern walls.