Intramuros Site Features

Every corner inside the Intramuros walled city carries its own history, and seeing the district properly -- its buildings, churches, and museums -- is easily a full day's outing.

Fort Santiago

One of the most visited sites in Intramuros, Fort Santiago held political prisoners during the Spanish colonial era, including national hero José Rizal. Today it's a park that can be toured on foot or by kalesa (horse-drawn carriage), planted with flowering trees and home to a resident population of pigeons.

Manila Cathedral

The Manila Cathedral remains the ecclesiastical seat of the Archdiocese of Manila today, just as it was during the Spanish colonial period.

Casa Manila

After visiting Intramuros's famous churches, the Casa Manila is a restored mansion-turned-museum, its period furnishings giving a direct sense of how the colonial-era upper class actually lived.

Other points of interest

Restored colonial-era homes -- "casas" -- throughout Intramuros showcase the same Spanish architectural style at smaller scale, while sites like the Rizal Shrine and Mabini Shrine focus on individual figures central to Philippine history.