Manila's Finest Travel Landmarks

RIZAL PARK

Rizal Park is situated in the heart of the city of Manila, Philippines. It is at the northern end of Roxas Boulevard, overlooking Manila Bay.
Rizal Park's history began in the early 1800s during the Spanish rule. While Manila's social and business activities were confined within Intramuros, a small area just south of the walls was cleared to prevent sneak attacks from the patriotic natives. The area was shaped like a small moon (lunette) and thus was named Luneta. The Park was also called Bagumbayan (English: New Town) in Spanish colonial era, and later known as Luneta.
Luneta has been the site of some of the most significant moments in Philippine history . Among them are the execution of Dr. José Rizal on December 30, 1896, whose martyred death made him a hero of the Philippine Revolution. (It was officially renamed Rizal Park in tribute to him.)
The park has a small man-made lake with a replica of the Philippine archipelago in the middle. The park has recreational value as well, as bands, orchestras and other sorts of entertainment are provided for free in its open-air auditorium, aptly called "Concert at the Park".
Other attractions of Rizal Park include the Chinese and Japanese Gardens, the Department of Tourism main office, the National Museum of the Filipino People, The National Library of the Philippines, the Orchidarium and Butterfly Pavilion, the Planetarium, the monument of the Philippines's first hero, Lapu-Lapu, a fountain area, a children's lagoon, a chess plaza, a light and sound presentation on the last days of Jose Rizal,a large open stone model of the Philippine islands, and the Quirino Grandstand. http://www.nationalparks.ph/rizalpark/history.htm

MANILA OCEAN PARK
The Manila Ocean Park is located behind the Quirino Grandstand, in Luneta, Manila. The Manila Ocean Park’s Oceanarium promises a "deeper experience" as it features an assortment of colorful fishes and invertebrates indigenous to the Philippines and Southeast Asia contained in 12,000 cubic meters of seawater.
The Oceanarium journey is divided into six sections and each section will carry a Filipino name: "Agos"; "Bahura"; "Buhay na Karagatan"; "Pating"; "Ang Kailaliman"; and "Laot".
http://oceanparkmanilabay.com/

FORT SANTIAGO

Marks its entrance on the northwestern trip to Instramuros which started in 1571 and completed nearly 150 years later by Filipino forced labor. The pre-Spanish settlement of Rajah Sulayman was a wooden fort on the ashes of which was built the Spanish fortress which was Spain's major defense position in the island. It looked out on the sea, towards which its canons were trained forward off pirates and invaders. Also known as the "Shrine of Freedom", in memory of the heroic Filipinos imprisoned and killed here during the Spanish and Japanese eras. Partly rebuilt from the ruins of World War II, it is now a park and promenade housing a resident theaters for both traditional and modern plays.

CASA MANILA
It is a colonial lifestyle museum which is part of Plaza San Luis Complex. The house which is rebuilt of the original house that stood on the same site was patterned after a mid-19th century house that stood along Calle de Jaboneros in San Nicolas, Binondo. The house features antique and furnishing from China and Europe dating back to the 19th century.

CHINATOWN(ONGPIN)
The Chinatown which is located along the northern bank of the historic Pasig River symbolizes the long history of the Chinese presence in the Philippines long before the arrival of the Spaniards. The Chinese had been much involved in the business specially the retail trade and have been absorbed in a Philippine life-style.

UNIVERSITY OF STO. THOMAS
University of Sto. Thomas, oldest university in the Philippines and in Asia, Founded on April 11, 1611 by Reverend Father Miguel de Benavides. Originally opened as the College of Our Lady of Rosary. The University has been bestowed the title "Royal" by King Charles III of Spain in 1758, while Pope Leo XIII granted the title "Pontificial" in 1902. Located originally in Intramuros, it was only transferred to its present site in 1911. Owned by the Spanish Dominicans which is governed by the Board of Trustees until the late 19th century..
http://www.ust.edu.ph/

ERMITA

Originally known as "Lagyo". In 1951, a chapel was constructed for Nuestra Señora de Guia. A Mexican hermit arrived in the place, lived in the chapel, and people called it as "La Ermita". Ermita was a fishing village prior to arrival of the Spaniards that moved out of Intramuros and integrated with the Indios in Ermita and adjacent Malate and to a lesser extent, Paco. These became a fashionable residential areas in the Spanish era up to the American era.