FORT SANTIAGO

Walk into one of the oldest Spanish stone fortresses in the country. Fort Santiago is located in the northwestern part of the Walled City. In pre-Spanish times, this was the site of Rajah Sulayman's "kuta" or fort. The Spaniards under the term of Governor General Gomez Perez Dasmariñas fortified what was originally wooden structures. Other governors general continued to modernize Fort Santiago's defenses. Which makes it probably the best laid-out portion of the walls.

FORT GROUNDS

Upon entering the fort, one will see the the Intramuros Visitors Center (IVC) located at the restored Baluartillo de San Francisco Javier, where military supplies were stored when it was built in 1663. The Reducto de San Francisco Javier was added in 1773.

The ten chambers of the fortification house an information center where tours can be scheduled and information on Intramuros events and attractions can be obtained; a restaurant and souvenir shops showcasing Filipino craftsmanship.

On the right is the Plaza Moriones, named after Gov. Gen. Domingo Moriones (1877-1880). It was used as a public promenade until the 1863 earthquake devastated the fort. The military fenced off the promenade area in 1864 when the buildings around the plaza were used as soldiers' barracks.

Opposite Plaza Moriones is wall of the Almacenes Reales or Royal Warehouses. These were storehouses for goods unloaded along the river wharfs, to supply the fort and other institutions in the city. Erected in 1591, these warehouses were rebuilt as soldiers' quarters after Plaza Moriones was fenced off in 1864. The warehouse was moved to the wall adjacent to the Puerta de Almacenes near Fort Santiago. This was to facilitate entry of goods to the city. The new warehouses were built during the term of Gov. Gen. Fausto Cruzat y Gongora (1690-1701). These were continually renovated until completion under the term of ad interim Gov. Jose de Torralba (1709-1717). It was during this period that the MAESTRANZA (the foundry and arsenal) was also transferred nearby. In 1796, the area was demolished and a new riverfront was built and called the Muelle de Almacenes. The gate and this section of the walls lasted until 1903 when it was leveled by American military engineers for easy access to the river wharfs.

Next to the picnic area and refreshment kiosk is the archaeological excavation of Artilleria de Maestranza, a foundry which cast cannons and ammunition during the Spanish period.

In front of the main gate of Fort Santiago is the Moat, the first line of defense surrounding the fortified city with water. Guarding the fort on the bay and the river are the Baluarte de San Miguel and Medio Baluarte de San Francisco, respectively. These ramparts were built in 1609 to fortify the defenses of the principal gate of Fort Santiago.


PLAZA DE ARMAS

The Plaza de Armas was the fort's main square, which was probably the site of the Tagalog settlement of Maynilad, the palisaded kingdom of Rajah Soliman. Surrounding it are the ruins of buildings once used as military barracks and storehouses. At the right is an 18th century adobe building which was converted into the Dulaang Raha Sulayman (Rajah Sulayman Theater), where seasonal performances are staged by the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).

Used as soldiers' barracks, it also had a room for petty officers. This was used as a makeshift chapel-cell where Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal spent his last day on earth. The Rizal Shrine at the left was built in honor of the national hero. It stands on the site of a brick barracks where Rizal was imprisoned from November 3 to December 30, 1896. A life-size wax statue of the hero is one of the main attractions of the shrine.

Recessed in a corner of the fort is the Postigo de la Nstra. Sra. del Soledad (Postern of Our Lady of Solitude). This gate was used by the fort occupants as a passage to the Pasig River. In 1762, Lieut. Gov. Gen. Simon de Anda escaped through this gate as British soldiers captured the city. Bringing part of the city's treasury and official documents, Anda fled to Pampanga and established himself as Gov. Gen. of the Philippines. He headed an underground Spanish government and led a resistance movement against the British until the end of the occupation in 1764.

A terraced garden covers what was once the site of the Casa del Castillano or the residence of the Commander of the Fort. Only the aljibe ( water cistern) which supplied fresh water from a well below remains of the structure. The aljibe itself was used as a storage room during the American period. In 1904, this was the headquarters of the Philippine Division of the U.S. Army. The building was renovated with a platform and tower extending to the Baluarte de Santa Barbara.

Baluarte de Santa Barbara began in 1593 as a wooden platform that protected the entrance to the Pasig River. It was rebuilt in stone with storage vaults and a powder magazine in 1599. Renovations continued into the 18th century, including the addition of a semi-circular platform (Media Naranja).

Stories of prisoners drowning in the dungeons during high tide abound. However, archaeological evidence proves otherwise. The dungeons, which were the former storage vaults, were built way above the river level and it would be impossible for the waters to flood the chambers even during high tide. 

The chambers of the powder magazine were used as prison cells for hundreds of guerillas and civilians arrested during World War II. Their remains were discovered after the Battle of Manila. The white marble cross marks the common grave of these victims.