Intramuros

Wall is identical with limitations. What separates walled in and out. And this separation is often based on a desire to defend themselves, to maintain the purity, keeping a whole to perpetuate themselves.
That we see on the walls of Intramuros in Manila. Thick wall limit of the old town core is a culture of colonial Spain. Out there, people are no different islands with neighbors in Indonesia. So solid wall until you feel a strength in limiting the mixing.

Close to the edge of the sea, the old Spanish fort stood firm. No longer surrounded by coconut plantations, but it was a golf course and a road with four lanes. Now he is no longer any limit between Spanish colonizers and the allied nations with the people of Manado, Bugis, Javanese and Batak.

Intramuros thick walls failed to stop a syncretic culture. The doors of the castle was open. Infiltrate into rigid flexibility of the Malays in Conquistador.

It is not only the gates are never open and unguarded. When the Western world at war in the mid-20th century, destroyed Intramuros area.

Allied bombing escaped from an army commander sworn named MacArthur. "I shall return," is complete with flat Manila Cathedral, and old houses since the incarnation of power Spain in 1571 until 1898.


Mighty wall along a 4.5 kilometer area around the 64 hectare area was filled with palaces, churches, monasteries, schools and houses were razed to the ground. Only one church stood, upholding the divine letter on human vanity.

An inch of land is now no longer owned by Rajah Soliman, or Delantado Miguel López de Legazpi, and also no longer owned by the ruler of Metro Manila. This area opened up into a recreational area that can be visited by anyone.

Intramuros was originally a rural area of indigenous settlements. Manylad their village name. Led by Rajah Soliman, this village in the bay the center of trade of commodities that come from China, Japan, Vietnam, and some say the whole of Asia.

This good fortune did not last long. The Spanish explorers arrived. On June 24, 1571, this village had occupied Adelanto Miguel Lopez de Lagazpi. He built the city of Manila from the ruins Manylad village.

Whatever is gained by violence does not seem to make peace. Development Manila run, but the threat from English, Japanese, Portuguese and the other Asian colonial brick inspire themselves. Comes thick walls with gates that connect the suspension bridge is closed each night. Also appeared in the walls of the term in Spanish, intra muros.

Spain turned out not to be afraid and shut themselves up. Intramuros and the Philippines to change employers, as the Treaty of Paris was signed with the result that Spanish colonial powers handed over to the United States.

Asia is a unique region, where the only European-style castle town stood, destroyed by the new rulers who seized it with pens. Douglas MacArthur made his headquarters at the time of Intramuros before the Japanese invasion. He transformed this old city, with a break down old buildings and widen the road.

That was not enough because the Japanese took Manila. During the three years of Intramuros become privy to hundreds of Filipino rebel soul. Japan using the fort area of Santiago is working on the colony.

And during the battle of Manila reclaim the lives of thousands of civilian victims. During the eight days of Japan make their defense in Intramuros. United pluck them out with a running bomb. San Agustin church live and part of the city walls that still stand.

In 1979 through a presidential decree established the Philippines Intramuros Administration. The goal in rebuilding the city in this wall.His aim is to make a city tour.

Now, thanks to these efforts, the impression Spain, America and the results of modern Filipino culture, all can be felt within the city walls. There is no longer the original in a closed world once. There must be a good way or a gentle violence to create a new world. (rn)