"A cup of coffee shared with a friend is happiness tasted and time well spent." While there's a lot of Starbucks out there each offering the same coffee, as far as location and view are concerned, no one offers a view so panoramic, heavenly, dreamy and divine that is Starbucks Domicillo Hotel. Imagine sipping your favorite Chocolate Cream Chip Frappucino overlooking the ethereal Taal Volcano, how dope must that be? Today me and my friend decided to have a quick one-day-only getaway to escape stress in the nearby Tagaytay City. Adulting can be very tiring so we both needed to replenish before we get consumed by exhaustion. A friend of mine recommended this new Starbucks and upon seeing pictures online, I died. The superb view is something poets would draw inspiration! The exterior looks so mundane and quite appalling at some point. Inside is just another Starbucks with tables and chairs and couches and as go further, Taal is already waving at you and i...
One of the must-see attraction in Intramuros is the Baluarte de San Diego. In this baluarte is the oldest stone fort in Manila. Built in 1586, it
was called the Nuestra Señora de Guia. Designed by Jesuit priest Antonio
Sedeño. Fell into disrepair and renovated in 1593. Incorporated as part
of the walls but later abandoned due to its unstable foundations.
When Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi occupied Rajah Soliman's settlement in 1571, a wooden fortress evolved from that tounge of land bounded by the Pasig River and the Manila Bay. The need for defense from the bayside became urgent after the attack of Chinese pirates led by Limahong in 1574. The first stone fort in Manila was planed by Gov. Gen. Santiago de Vera, who thought that a tower would best serve the purpose. Jesuit friar Antonio Sedeno, who had some knowledge of military architecture, was assigned to oversee the project. Fort Nuestra Senora de Guia was to be three tiers of circular walls, with the outer tier 28 feet high, 12 feet thick at the bottom, and 4 feet thick at the top. Built from 1586 to 1587, the tower threatened to collapsed as it got higher.
With the appointment of Gov. Gen. Gomez Perez Dasmarinas in 1590, the wooden fortress of Manila was reconstructed in stone. In 1593, the upper portion of the tower was demolished, and the rest was integrated into the new stone bulwark-the Baluarte de San Diego. Completed sometime between 1653 to 1663, the new baluarte was shaped like an ace of spades.
When Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi occupied Rajah Soliman's settlement in 1571, a wooden fortress evolved from that tounge of land bounded by the Pasig River and the Manila Bay. The need for defense from the bayside became urgent after the attack of Chinese pirates led by Limahong in 1574. The first stone fort in Manila was planed by Gov. Gen. Santiago de Vera, who thought that a tower would best serve the purpose. Jesuit friar Antonio Sedeno, who had some knowledge of military architecture, was assigned to oversee the project. Fort Nuestra Senora de Guia was to be three tiers of circular walls, with the outer tier 28 feet high, 12 feet thick at the bottom, and 4 feet thick at the top. Built from 1586 to 1587, the tower threatened to collapsed as it got higher.
With the appointment of Gov. Gen. Gomez Perez Dasmarinas in 1590, the wooden fortress of Manila was reconstructed in stone. In 1593, the upper portion of the tower was demolished, and the rest was integrated into the new stone bulwark-the Baluarte de San Diego. Completed sometime between 1653 to 1663, the new baluarte was shaped like an ace of spades.
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| Main Entrance |
Here is main entrance before the actual Baluarte. Entrance fee for adults is PHP75 while for students and senior citizens its PHP50.
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| Fountain |
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| A wheeled equipment |
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| Actual entrance to the Baluarte |
Baluarte de San Diego was breached by British forces in 1762. It was restored and strengthened when the Spaniards returned, but was damaged and abandoned after the 1863 earthquake. The Battle of Manila in 1945 destroyed whatever remained of the structure. The circular fort was forgotten until excavation was done in 1979 by the Intramuros Administration and the National Museum. The first stone fort in Manila was unearthed and the baluarte was restored by 1992.
So here it is, the Baluarte de San Diego! Bastion de San Diego is composed of three concentric structures; the
first, second, and third circle. The first circle has an inner diameter
of 8 metres (26 ft) and a wall thickness of 1.41 metres (4.6 ft). It
lies 3.65 metres (12.0 ft) below the present street level of Muralla
Street on the southern section. It has a total height of 5.75 metres
(18.9 ft). Also, its inner and outer sides were plastered in pink terra
cotta. The second circle has a diameter of 21 metres (69 ft) with a wall
thickness of 0.90 metres (3.0 ft). Its total height is 6.15 metres
(20.2 ft). The interior surface of the second circle was in terra-cotta
finish. The flooring of both circles were made of brick tiles. The third
circle has a height of 8.55 metres (28.1 ft) with a diameter of 32
metres (105 ft) and a wall thickness of 3 metres (9.8 ft). It is
composed of 11 chambers. Although it is constructed with adobe walls, it
has no direct relation to the first 2 circles. It was constructed
earlier than the remaining circles.
The place is so quaint. It will take you back to the bygone Spanish era. The circular shape resembles the Colosseum in Rome. This is a concrete reminder of the past, a reminder how powerful Spanish colonizers are.
Then I took this one last photo before I left. Fort Nuestra Senora de Guia is currently maintained as an archaeological site. The gardens and gazebo were added to make Baluarte de San Diego more appealing to visitors and more suitable for special events. It is open to the public, but may be rented for private functions. The area is managed by the Intramuros Administration, an attached agency of the Department of Tourism.
Wedding receptions can be held here. So if you want something vintage as your motif, you might consider Baluarte de San Diego Gardens. For inquiries you can call their Business Management Division at (632) 527-3096/527-9012.
How to get there?
This is inside the Intramuros. For directions, see my Intramuros blog. This is at the back of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.
My Baluarte de San Diego experience is so surreal. It made me want to go back to Spanish era and see how our ancestors live their lives before. -Jon-
Thank you for sharing the photos they are amazing. My 14th great uncle was Santiago de Vera. He was also president of the Audiencia of Guadalajara in Mexico where he died. I am realizing how much my uncle made an impact on the country of Philippines and what he left behind. It stills feel unreal to me how much my family's reach was in the world.
ReplyDeleteGood to know that 🤗
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