Manila Sights

  1. 0km Post

    Across Roxas Blvd, directly in front of the Rizal Monument, the 0km Post marks the spot from where distances in the Philippines are measured (secular-minded Americans moved it here from Manila Cathedral).

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  2. Araneta Coliseum

    The Araneta Coliseum is a popular venue for professional basketball games managed by the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association), the Philippines' equivalent to America's NBA. Like football in other countries, basketball is a national passion in the Philippines. The professional league follows a yearly season - check with either the Araneta Coliseum or the Cuneta Astrodome for the current schedule of games.

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  3. Ayala Museum

    The Ayala Museum moved into an impressive new building in 2004. It's now an excellent museum with changing exhibits on Filipino culture, art and history. Recent exhibits included a well-curated one on the proselytising of the early Catholic Church. At the heart of the collection are dozens of dioramas tracing the nation's history. Just as stained-glass windows were a way for churches to engage and educate the masses, so too are these models.

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  4. Ayuntamiento

    To one side of the Plaza de Roma lie the forlorn ruins of the Ayuntamiento, once the grandest building in all of Intramuros.

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  5. Bahay Nakpil-Bautista

    On a crowded side street just to the east of Plaza Miranda, you will find Bahay Nakpil-Bautista, where the widow of Andres Bonifacio, father of the Philippine Revolution, lived after his death. A historic landmark in itself, the house is used for occasional cultural exhibits.

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  7. Bahay Tsinoy

    The Bahay Tsinoy features three-dimensional dioramas and a vast collection of photos that shows the role played by the Chinese in the growth of Manila. Present-day Chinese-Filipinos call themselves Chinoys or Tsinoys, hence the museum's name.

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  8. Binondo Church

    At the northern end of Paredes St stands the bell tower of Binondo Church , an unusual octagonal structure dating back to 1596. The rest of the church is a modern replacement for war damage. Inside there is a lurid statue of a bloody Jesus that would do Mel Gibson proud. Inspirational banners include 'Support the Seminarians!' The plaza out front is being reborn.

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  9. Casa Manila

    Another of Imelda Marcos' projects, Casa Manila is a (mostly) faithfully restored Spanish colonial home (the ceilings were made much higher for Imelda who is a well-above-average 178cm) that offers a window into the opulent lifestyle of the gentry in the 19th century. The three-storey house is furnished with antiques from the period.

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  10. Chinatown

    After centuries of suppression by the Spanish, Manila's Chinese population quickly rose on the economic and social ladder under more liberal administrations. Today the centre of the vibrant Chinese community is Chinatown , which straddles Santa Cruz and Binondo.

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  11. Chinese Cemetery

    As in life, so it is in death for Manila's wealthy Chinese citizens, who are buried with every modern convenience in the huge Chinese Cemetery . There are mausoleums with crystal chandeliers, air-con, hot and cold running water, kitchens and flushing toilets (in case the interred are caught short on the way to paradise).

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  13. Cultural Centre of the Philippines

    Conceived during the era of Imelda Marcos' grand plans for Manila, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) refers to both the vast collection of white elephants on the reclaimed land in the bay and the performing arts centre of the same name. The decaying excess on display here is a fascinating and fitting lasting legacy for the Marcos era.

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  14. Cuneta Astrodome

    Cuneta Astrodome is a popular venue for professional basketball games managed by the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association), the Philippines' equivalent to America's NBA. Like football in other countries, basketball is a national passion in the Philippines. The professional league follows a yearly season - check with either the Araneta Coliseum or the Cuneta Astrodome for the current schedule of games.

    Read more about Cuneta Astrodome

  15. Ermita Church

    Ermita Church, a modern construction that replaced the original hermitage destroyed during WWII, is home to the widely venerated Nuestra Señora de Guia (Our Lady of Guidance). Legend has it that this richly robed image of the Virgin Mary was found by Legazpi on the evening of 19 May 1571, the day the Spanish forces took over Manila.

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  16. Fort Santiago

    Guarding the vital entrance to the Pasig River, Fort Santiago was once the seat of Spanish military power. Designated a Shrine of Freedom in 1950, today it is a memorial to Dr José Rizal, who was imprisoned here in the final days before his execution in 1896 for inciting revolution against the Spanish colonials. It is also a memorial to all Filipinos who have fought or died for the cause of freedom.

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  17. Golden Mosque

    The Golden Mosque, erected on a site where a hotel named Globo de Oro used to stand, serves the growing Muslim community that has settled in the vicinity.

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  19. Greenbelt Complex

    Across Makati Ave is the Greenbelt Complex, an upscale development that encircles pretty little Greenbelt Park. Amid the commerce is the Ayala Museum and the open-air Sto Niño De Paz Chapel. This is the high end of the Ayala Center and there are scores of delightful cafés and restaurants. The development is separated into four main shopping malls: Greenbelt 1, 2, 3 and 4.

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  20. GSIS Museo ng Sining

    The GSIS Museo ng Sining houses an extensive collection of contemporary Filipino art. On display are paintings, sculptures and tapestries by such famous Filipino artists as Fernando Amorsolo and Hernando Ocampo.

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  21. Intramuros

    When Miguel Lopez de Legazpi wrested control of Manila, he chose to erect his fortress on the remnants of the Islamic settlement by the mouth of the Pasig River. Intramuros, as Legazpi's walled city came to be called, was invaded by Chinese pirates, threatened by Dutch forces, and held by the British, Americans and Japanese at various times, yet it survived until the closing days of WWII, when it was finally destroyed by US bombing during the Battle of Manila.

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  22. Makati

    The business centre of Manila has also become its nightlife centre. The towers here house the nation's major corporations and most of the major hotels. It all came about after WWII when the Ayala family seized upon the destruction of the rest of the city as a chance to start building.

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  23. Malacañang Palace

    The official residence of the President of the Philippines, Malacañang Palace was originally a Spanish grandee's summer house. It used to be possible to go on tours of the palace but these are no longer offered. Likewise, the Museo ng Malacañang, which displayed memorabilia related to the Philippines' past 13 presidents, along with old photos of Manila, is now closed. Unlike some other recent presidents, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo actually lives and works in the palace.

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  25. Malate Church

    Malate Church houses a greatly revered image of the Virgin Mary, called Nuestra Señora de Remedios (Our Lady of Remedies). It was first built in 1588; this version dates from the 1860s.

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  26. Manila Cathedral

    The Manila Cathedral was destroyed in WWII, but the present edifice, erected in 1951, looks suitably ancient with its weathered Romanesque façade and graceful cupola. This is actually the sixth church on the site opposite the Plaza de Roma. Inside are a gilded altar, a 4500-pipe organ and rosette windows with beautiful stained glass.

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  27. Manila City Hall

    The clock tower of the Manila City Hall is beautifully illuminated at night.

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  28. Manila Yacht Club

    Just north of the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex you'll notice the Manila Yacht Club, where the moneyed few keep their pleasure craft.

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  29. Manila Zoological & Botanical Gardens

    The Manila Zoological & Botanical Gardens, usually shortened to 'Manila Zoo', is home to a diverse collection of animals but the premises are badly in need of renovation.

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