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.

From its founding in 1571, Intramuros was the exclusive preserve of the Spanish ruling classes. Within its massive walls were imposing government buildings, stately homes, churches, convents, monasteries, schools, hospitals and cobbled plazas.

The native populace was settled in surrounding areas such as Paco and Binondo, while the 'troublesome' Chinese were kept under permanent supervision in a ghetto called the Parian.

Fortified with bastions (baluarte), the wall enclosed an area of some 64 hectares. Gates (puerta) with drawbridges provided access to and from the outside world.

At its height, Intramuros instilled fear in Spain's enemies as a mighty European city, the only one of its kind in Asia. By the end of WWII, the walls here were almost all that remained of the once-proud city, and 150,000 Filipino civilians had perished in the crossfire.

Despite the devastation, one can still feel a strong sense of history on a visit to Intramuros. Most of the walls, gates and bulwarks are accessible, although they are weedy and a bit seedy. It is possible to walk on the 4.5km-long rampart. Anda St inside the walls is a good street for a wander; many of the buildings still have Spanish-tile street names.

A tour is best done during the day as some sections of the walls are closed or inadequately lit at night. Before you set off, drop into the Intramuros Visitors Center at the entrance to Fort Santiago.