If there is one thing to have a closer look about a certain place is to know its colorful history and vibrant past.
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| The captivating view of Manila Post Office Building in the banks of Pasig River as seen from the Jones Bridge. |
Recently, Manila have gone through reinventions and renovations in order to relive the classical beauty of the country's capital. From rugged structures to revived buildings, Manila has been once again transformed into a classy city manifesting to witness the glorious past and the original beauty of the place that has been passed through centuries - a sentinel of historical events that shaped the country.
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| The reconstructed facade of Fort Santiago due to the original structure was damaged during the Second World War. |
Located at the heart of Luzon, Manila was first discovered in 1571 by Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and made it as the country's capital where Intramuros as the seat of government. It is also the center of economic, religious, and cultural activities in the country since the Spanish era where establishments are built such as cathedrals, churches, government offices, universities, and museums to name a few. Furthermore, Binondo, the oldest Chinatown in the world founded in 1594 was also found in Manila due to the Chinese population and trading posts in the area. During the American occupation, Governor-General William Howard Taft invited Daniel Burnham for the city's improvement to create a new civic district.
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| The welcome arch of Manila Chinatown overlooking the busy streets of Binondo with its sidewalk vendors, residents, and tourists. |
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| The Binondo - Intramuros Bridge built in 2021 to connect the two districts for tourism and economic growth purposes. |
These historical milestones in Manila were just pieces of the glorious past until recent mayors and officials put their efforts in preserving the city's beauty. It aims to promote tourism and to restore and maintain the historical buildings and places since it is the country's capital. One activity that you can see the tourist attractions in Manila is the walking tour where you can find the landmarks along the Taft Avenue in Ermita, passing the Intramuros District, until you reach Binondo. Lastly, recent developments including the preservation of Arroceros Forest Park, the reopening of Metropolitan Theater, and the establishment of Pasig River Esplanade and Binondo-Intramuros Bridge will surely boost the tourism in the city.
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| The view of Quezon Bridge and Pasig River seen from the esplanade of Arroceros Forest Park. |
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| A water fountain found between Metropolitan Theater and Arroceros Forest Park, |
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| An esplanade in the Arroceros Forest Park offering the vast view of the Pasig River. |
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| A concrete walk in the forest park that makes Arroceros a refreshing place to stay. |
Arroceros Forest Park was featured twice in this blog because of its benefits to the residents and commuters due to the vegetation in the concrete city. It is also known as "The Last Lung of Manila" which signifies the place as the one of the few green spaces in the city where numerous species of trees, plants, and birds are dwelling in the park. Furthermore, developments are made recently including the concrete pathways, the esplanade, a koi fishpond, and light posts.
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| Manila Central Post Office Building in 2022 |
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| Manila Central Post Office Building in 2024 |
Few walks away, you can also visit the Manila Central Post Office Building adjacent to Liwasang Bonifacio. It is one of the usual places where tourists dropped by as they proceed to Intramuros or Binondo. However in 2023, the said building was destroyed by a massive fire and restoration activities are in progress starting 2024 until it is finished in 2026.
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| Manila Central Post Office Building from Pasig River Esplanade. |
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| Captivating esplanade that makes traveling in Metro Manila more convenient and eco-friendly. |
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| A classy walk in the esplanade. |
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| Lamp posts that give light in the esplanade during the evening. |
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| Filipiniana statues portrayed as they danced the pandanggo sa ilaw matched with the city lights in the evening provided by the classic lamp posts. |
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| Overlooking the Jones Bridge, known as the Queen of Philippine Bridges. |
Recently, the Pasig River Esplanade was inaugurated in 2024 which launched the "Showcase Area" located near the Manila Post Office Building up to Intramuros - Binondo Bridge, passing the Jones Bridge. The first phase was already completed, and it is expected that it will traverse the cities of Manila, Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, and Taguig. Furthermore, the esplanade was mostly visited by the tourists in the evening because of its yellow lights from the lamp shade and the classic view along with the Jones Bridge.
There are many chances to visit Manila and watch out for some progress and improvements as they go along the way and just keep up the good work in the beautification of the city.
