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.
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.
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.
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)
Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intramuros,_Manila
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