Wonderful Photographs of Manila Then & Now [Third Part]

This will be the third and probably the final set of my articles about the wonderful photographs of Manila then and now. I hope you will enjoy this as much as you enjoyed the first and second parts.

Again we will journey back in time and see the amazing places in Manila through old photographs and compare it with its present condition. We will also know a little bit of history of each places or structures. Hopefully, this will encourage each of us to preserve and give importance on what we have now so that they may still be available for generations to come.
Let’s now take a look at these Wonderful Photographs of Manila Then and Now and be amazed again on the marvels for the past.

Sto Domingo Church (National Shrine of the Holy Rosary)

For almost four centuries Santo Domingo de Manila, the church and motherhouse of the Dominican Order, stood within the walls of Intramuros. It was severely damaged during World War II. After the war, a new church was built in Quezon City. It was inaugurated on October 10, 1954 during the La Naval feast and procession. The La Naval image was taken to this church and Santo Domingo was canonically erected as the National Shrine of the Holy Rosary in the Philippines.
Santo Domingo is best known as the home of a beautiful and richly robed image of the Virgin Mary called 'Nuestra Senora de La Naval' (Our Lady of La Naval). The centuries-old image is credited for having saved the Manila from an invasion by a Dutch armada in 1646.

1907 Intramuros, Manila

Present Day, Quezon City

La Insular Cigar & Cigarette Factory

The building of La Insular was built in 1888 at Plaza Calderon de la Barca with Juan Jose Hervas, then Manila's Municipal Architect as designer. Designed along Moorish lines, the building became a notable landmark in Binondo's major plaza, together with the old Hotel de Oriente. As a business, La Insular continued to be an economic presence in the Philippines until the prewar years.
La Insular exported cigars and tobacco to different countries abroad, with the majority going to the United States and England. Its Tres Coronas were especially favored by the English. One of the best customers of La Insular was King Alfonso XIII of Spain. He gave the company royal authority to name a cigar, "King Alfonso XIII" with his own signature.

c1900s

Present Day

Manila Cathedral (Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception)

The Manila Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica (also known as the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and informally as Manila Cathedral) is a prominent Latin Rite Roman Catholic basilica located in Manila, Philippines, honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the Patroness of the Philippines. Located in the Intramuros district of Manila in the Philippines. Originally a parish church owned by the diocese of Mexico in 1571, it became a separate diocese with its own bishop. The cathedral serves both as the Prime Basilica of the Philippines and highest seat of Archbishop in the country. The cathedral has been damaged and destroyed several times since the original cathedral was built in 1581; the sixth and current incarnation of the cathedral was completed in 1958 and was consecrated as a minor basilica in 1981. It is the highest seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the Philippines, the current Archpriest of the Cathedral is Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales.

c1860

c1900s after the earthquake that damaged the bell tower

Present Day

Rizal Avenue corner Carriedo Street

c1930

1942

Present Day

Ermita Church (Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Guia)

Nuestra Señora de Guia is the patron of Ermita Church and the parish named after her. Her image is the oldest in the Philippines having been discovered on May 19, 1571 around the seashore which is now the site of the Ermita Church by soldiers of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi after he took over possession of the city in honor of King Felipe II of Spain.
According to historical accounts the soldiers witnessed natives rendering pagan worship to a beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary placed on top of a trunk surrounded by pandan trees. Since that time it was said that the “Virgen de Guia began to shed rays of charity in ever so many miracles she wrought in behalf of the people, especially the navigators. It is in this light that she was given the title Guia (guide)” (Anales dela Cathedral de Manila).
It is said that the image must have been one of those brought to the country by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 and must have been sent by the Cebu native chiefs as a gift to one of the rajahs in Manila.
In a Royal Decree dated August 9, 1578, the King of Spain declared Nuestra Señora de Guia as the “Sworn Patroness” of Manila by reason of the continual favors that she lavished on the city.

c1900s

Present Day

Bilibid Viejo

c1900s Flooded a century ago

Present Day

Sta. Ana Church

The Church of Santa Ana stands on the site of the first Franciscan mission established outside Manila in 1578. The church was built under the supervision of Fr. Vicente Ingles, OFM. The cornerstone of the present church was laid on September 12, 1720 by Francisco dela Cuesta, then Archbishop of Manila and Acting Governor General of the Philippines.
On October 1966, the inner patio and surrounding areas of this centuries-old church were excavated by the archaeologist team of the National Museum headed by Doctor Robert Fox. The project yielded rich materials on pre-Spanish Manila. The oldest artifact found in the inner patio of Santa Ana Church dates back to the late 11^th century A.D. – a beautiful blue and white Chinese bowl with floral designs. The rest are potteries and Chinese artifacts which date back to the 12^th and 13^th centuries A.D.

c1900s

Escolta

Escolta is a famous street in Manila, Philippines. During the Spanish and American occupation of the Philippines, Escolta was known as the commercial district of Manila.
The name is said to have originated from the mid 19th century when Spanish Captain Generals paraded the street with heavy escorts--and people shouting "Escorts"--which later became Escolta.
Some of the luxury shops and bazaars in Manila of the olden days were located in Escolta such as Botica Boie, Beck's, La Estrella del Norte, Squires & Bingham, Erlanger and Galinger, and Oceanic.

1899

Present Day

c1900s Escolta

Present Day

If you’re interested in more wonderful photographs of Manila then and now, check out the two previous articles:

• Wonderful Photographs of Manila Then & Now
• Wonderful Photographs of Manila Then & Now [Second Part]

Thanks again for taking time to visit InhoHiway.
If you enjoyed this article and wish to receive more great articles from me then don't forget to subscribe to my regular Email Updates to receive Latest Articles in your Mailbox.
Feel free to reuse this blog's contents under a Creative Commons Attribution Sharealike license unless otherwise noted.

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Wonderful Photographs of Manila Then & Now [Second Part]

This will be the second installment of my article about Wonderful Photographs of Then and Now where I showcased great photos of the past and try to find out its present day version. I’m hoping that through this we’ll be able to appreciate how magnificent our country is and get to see our ancestors way of living with a little bit of history on the side. I actually thought that this article will be an easy one to create but I was wrong because I was presented with tons of information which made it hard to sort out the ones that I believe are relevant and interesting; and at the same time there are materials that are really scarce and I spent days, believe me or not, in getting the needed information for it.

Again let’s take a journey back in time as we look at the wonderful photographs of Manila then and now.

[Update] Wonderful Photographs of Manila Then and Now (Third Part)

Luneta Park (Rizal Park)

Rizal Park, also known as Luneta Park or colloquially Luneta, is a historical urban park located in the heart of the city of Manila, Philippines, adjacent to the old walled city of Manila, now Intramuros.

Located along Manila Bay, Luneta has been the site of some of the most significant moments in Philippine history. The execution of Dr. José Rizal on December 30, 1896, sparked the fire of the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish colonizers, elevating the martyr as the national hero of the country. The park was officially renamed Rizal Park in his honor and his monument serves as the symbolic focal point of the park.

Rizal Park's history began in 1820 when the Paseo de Luneta was completed just south of the walls of Manila on a marshy patch of land next to the beach during the Spanish rule. Prior to the park, the marshy land was the location of a small town called Nuevo Barrio (New Town or Bagumbayan in Tagalog language) that dates back to 1601; it was cleared during the short British rule in 1762 to prevent sneak attacks from the patriotic natives. The area later became known as Bagumbayan Field where the Cuartel la Luneta (Luneta Barracks), a Spanish Military Hospital (which was destroyed by one of the earthquakes of Manila), and a moat-surrounded outwork of the walled city of Manila, known as the Luneta (lunette) because of its crescent shape.

c1900s

Present Day

Rizal Monument

The Rizal Monument is a memorial monument in Rizal Park in Manila, Philippines built to commemorate the Filipino nationalist, José Rizal. The mausoleum consists of a standing bronze sculpture of the martyr, with an obelisk as his backdrop, set on a pedestal upon which his remains are interred. A plaque on the pedestal front reads: "To the memory of José Rizal, patriot and martyr, executed at Bagumbayan Field December 30th, 1896, this monument is dedicated by the people of the Philippine Islands".

The perimeter of the monument is in a continuous ritual guarding by the soldiers known as the Kabalyeros de Rizal (Knights of Rizal). About a 100 m (330 ft) west of the monument is the exact location where Rizal was executed represented by life-size dioramas of his final moments.

In Rizal's birth centenary year of 1961, a stainless steel pylon was superimposed over the granite obelisk, increasing the structure's height from 12.7 meters to 30.5 meters. The remodeling undertaken by the Jose Rizal National Centennial Commission (JRNCC) was widely criticized. Many found the gleaming modern steel shaft incompatible with the somber granite base. Moreover, the latter seemed to dwarf the much smaller Rizal figure. Others simply dislike the idea of tampering with a popular and traditional image.

The designer of the remodeling was Juan Nakpil, who later became the country's first National Artist for Architecture. He quoted former Secretary of Education and JRNCC chair Manuel Lim as envisioning the pylon as a convenient guide for incoming boats, and for the people lost in their way around the city.

The P145,000 shaft was removed two years later under the request of Secretary of Education Alejandro Roces and Director of Public Libraries Carlos Quirino. It was dismantled during Holy Week, reportedly to prevent any court injunction from restraining them as government offices were closed during holidays. The pylon is now located at the median of the Baclaran section of Roxas Boulevard.

1920, Rizal Day	1961, with stainless steel pylon
Close up with metal pylon	Present Day

Escolta – Sta. Cruz Intersection

Late 1920s Escolta as seen from the tower of Sta. Cruz Church. Notice that a quarter of the Regina Building (left side) at that time was of a different structure.

In addition to the changes to the Regina Building on the left (White building on the left before the short bridge), the Perez-Samanilla Building (Pink building on the right side) has also seen considerable change.

c1920

Present Day

Tondo Church

It is believed that the construction of the first stone monastery started in 1611 under the term of Fr. Alonzo Guerrero then parish priest. In 1620, the house of Tondo was relieved from its ten percent contribution to Manila due “to the needed repair works of the convent and the church.” The same resolution was approved the following year because the prior had to provide assistance to the father provincial who was then residing in Tondo.

The convent was mortgaged by Fr. Antonio de Ocampo in 1625 for 800 pesos for the improvement of the house facilities, like the dining room and the staircase. The construction of the church and the convent were believed to have been completed in three years.

c1900s

Present Day

Plaza Moraga

Plaza Moraga was the site of the very first ice cream parlor in the Philippines, Clark's Cafe, which created a commotion when it opened in 1899. But of course, what made this area truly popular is Escolta, which means escort in Spanish. During the British occupation from 1762 to 1764, this street was favored by the British Commodore as a convoy route.

c1900

Present Day

San Agustin Church – The Oldest Church In Manila

San Agustin Church is a Roman Catholic Church under the auspices of The Order of St. Augustine, located inside the historic walled city of Intramuros in Manila. Completed by 1607, it is the oldest church still standing in the Philippines.No other surviving building in the Philippines has been claimed to pre-date San Agustin Church.

In 1993, San Agustin Church was one of four Philippine churches constructed during the Spanish colonial period to be designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, under the classification “Baroque Churches of the Philippines“. It had been named a National Historical Landmark by the Philippine government in 1976.

In 1863, an earthquake shook Manila that damaged slightly the church. In 1880, another earthquake happened and this time, the slight cracks caused by the former was now evident. Concerned with public safety, the left tower was demolished and hasn’t been rebuilt.

c1880

c1900

Present Day

Escolta Bridge

c1900

Present Day

San Sebastian Church (Basilica Minore de San Sebastián)

The Basilica Minore de San Sebastián, better known as San Sebastián Church, is a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Manila, the Philippines. It is the seat of the Parish of San Sebastian and the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

Completed in 1891, San Sebastián Church is noted for its architectural features. An example of the revival of Gothic architecture in the Philippines, it is the only all-steel church or basilica in Asia. It has also been implausibly reputed to be the first prefabricated building in the world, and more plausibly claimed as the only prefabricated steel church in the world. In 2006, San Sebastian Church was included in the Tentative List for possible designation as a World Heritage Site. It was designated as a National Historical Landmark by the Philippine government in 1973.

San Sebastián Church is under the care of The Order of the Augustinian Recollects, who also operate a college adjacent to the basilica. It is located at Plaza del Cármen, at the eastern end of Claro M. Recto Street, in Quiapo, Manila.

c1899

Present Day

Calle Tetuan Estero

The first image below of the quayside by Calle Tetuan was taken from the short bridge that connects Dasmarinas Street to Plaza Sta. Cruz sometime near the turn of the century.

About a 100 or so years later, and Calle Tetuan's name still lives on. The same cannot be said of the estero that is not much better than a sewage pit. The boat in the second photo is the property of the Philippine Maritime Institute located along the estero's opposite bank, whose marketing banners can be seen at the top of the present photo, adding more to the general clutter.

c1900s

Present Day

Malate Church (Church of Our Lady of Remedios)

Malate Church, also known as the Church of Our Lady of Remedios is an Augustinian founded church in M.H. del Pilar Street, Malate, Manila. Its titular patroness is the Nuestra Señora De Los Remedios whose statue came from Spain in 1624 by Rev. Juan Guevarra, O.S.A.

Formerly known as Maalat (derived from the salty waters near it), the first Malate Church was built by the Augustinians in 1588. However, it was later destroyed in 1667 by the orders of Governor-General Sabiniano Manrique de Lara over fears of an attack by the Chinese pirate Li Ma Hong. The structure was rebuilt in 1677-79 by Fr. Dionisio Suarez, O.S.A.

The church underwent various renovations from catastrophes that swept the area number of times. The first structure built in 1591 was heavily damaged by the 1645 earthquake. The second structure, which was made of brick stone, was put up in 1680 and was used by the British forces as a form of refuge and base when they ruled Manila for 18 months. In 1868, the brick church was destroyed by another earthquake and a subsequent typhoon. The church that remains standing today was constructed in 1864 under the supervision of Rev. Francisco Cuadrado. It was razed by a fire during World War II but was restored by the Columbians in the 1950s.

c1900s

Present Day

Looks like I may have to post a possible third installment in this Wonderful Photographs of Manila Then and Now as there are more amazing pictures I have not included yet. If you haven’t visited the first part of this series, you can check it out here.

[Update] Wonderful Photographs of Manila Then and Now (Third Part)

Thanks again for taking time to visit InhoHiway.

If you enjoyed this article and wish to receive more great articles from me then don't forget to subscribe to my regular Email Updates to receive Latest Articles in your Mailbox.

Feel free to reuse this blog's contents under a Creative Commons Attribution Sharealike license unless otherwise noted.

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Wonderful Photographs of Manila Then & Now

While browsing online searching for Philippine history topics, I came across different forums showcasing old pictures around the country mostly with wonderful photographs of Manila then and now. I was amazed by the majestic beauty and simplicity of our country. Looking at the old photos made me realize how resplendent and classic the buildings and architectures were during that time. Too bad that many of those structures were totally or partially damaged mostly during World War II when the Philippines was attacked by the Empire of Japan as part of its ambition to expand its empire in Asia.

Fortunately, some structures are still standing today and some places are almost left untouched. So let’s take a journey back in time as we look at the wonderful photographs of Manila then and now.

[Updates]

• Wonderful Photographs of Manila Then and Now (Second Part)
• Wonderful Photographs of Manila Then and Now (Third Part)

Calle Misericordia (now Tomas Mapua Street)

Misericordia was taken from the Confraternidad de la Santa Misericordia (Fraternity of Holy Piety) that was founded for charitable purposes in 1594 by Governor Luis Peres Dasmariñas.

Tomas Mapua Street in district of Sta. Cruz is formerly known as Calle Misericordia. Tomas Mapua is the founder and first president of the Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT) and first registered architect in the Philippines after graduating BS Architecture from Cornell University.

c1920

Present Day

Luneta Hotel

Luneta Hotel is a defunct hotel located in T.M. Kalaw Street and Roxas Boulevard in Manila. The hotel is in the Art deco style of architecture that was very popular during the early American period. The hotel is owned by the Litonjua family, and still stands to this day but has ceased operations as a hotel. It is now converted as a storage building. The old edifice is being considered for demolition.

c1902

Present Day

Calle Real del Palacio (now General Luna Street)

General Luna (also known by its old name, Calle Real del Palacio) is the closest thing Intramuros has to a main street and gives visitors easy access to most of the major attractions, including San Agustín Church and Manila Cathedral. Follow this street all the way to its northwestern tip and you'll find yourself in front of Fort Santiago; go the other way and you'll eventually end up in Rizal Park, which is just over the border in the nearby Ermita district.

c1913

Present Day

Binondo Church (Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz)

Binondo Church, also known as Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz , is located in the District of Binondo, Manila, in the Philippines. This church was founded by Dominican priests in 1596 to serve their Chinese converts to Christianity. The original building was destroyed in 1762 by British bombardment. A new granite church was completed on the same site in 1852 however it was greatly damaged during the Second World War, with only the western facade and the octagonal bell tower surviving.

San Lorenzo Ruiz, who was born of a Chinese father and a Filipino mother, trained in this church and afterwards went as a missionary to Japan and was executed there for refusing to renounce his religion. San Lorenzo Ruiz was to be the Philippines' first saint and he was canonized in 1989. A large statue of the martyr stands in front of the church.

Masses are held in Filipino, in Chinese dialects (Mandarin, Hokkien), and in English.

c1902

Present Day

Calle Rosario, Binondo (now Quintin Paredes Street)

Quintin Parades in Binondo is the old Calle Rosario after the district’s patroness the Nuestra Señora del Rosario. The street was renamed after the Filipino statesman and lawyer Quintin Paredes. He represented Abra in Congress and became Speaker of the House.

c1905

Present Day

c1900

Present Day

Sta. Cruz Church

The first Santa Cruz Church was erected in 1608 by the Society of Jesus, better known as Jesuits, as a parish church for the swelling ranks of Chinese immigrants to Manila, many of whom had converted to the Catholic faith. The original structure was twice damaged by earthquakes, and totally destroyed in World War II. The present building, completed in 1957, is essentially Baroque and somewhat reminiscent of the Spanish-built mission churches in southern California. Shortly before the expulsion of the Jesuit in the Philippines, a replica of the venerated image of the Nuestra Señora del Pillar was brought over to Sta. Cruz Church from Zaragoza, Spain. In the middle of the 19th century, the Our Lady of the Pillars was declared patroness of Sta. Cruz district, replacing San Entanislao Kostka. For next centuries up the present, she was the object of veneration among devotees of the Blessed Virgin.

c1900

Present Day

Malacañan Palace

The Malacañan Palace, commonly known simply as Malacañang, is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines. Located at 1000 J. P. Laurel Street, San Miguel, Manila, the house was built in 1750 in Spanish Colonial style. It has been the residence of every Philippine head since Rafael de Echague y Berminghan. During the American period, Governors-General Francis Burton Harrison and Dwight F. Davis built an executive building, the Kalayaan Hall, which was later transformed into a museum.

Originally a summer house by Spanish aristocrat Don Luis Rocha, the house was sold to Colonel Jose Miguel Formente, and was later purchased by the state in 1825. Since 1825, Malacañan Palace became the temporary residence of every Governor-General. During the Spanish–American War, Malacañan Palace became the residence of the American Civil Governors, with William Howard Taft being the first American Governor resident. During the American period, many administrative buildings were constructed and Malacañan Palace was refurbished. Emilio Aguinaldo, the first Philippine President, was the only head of the state who did not reside in Malacañan Palace, instead residing in his own home, the Aguinaldo Shrine, located in Kawit, Cavite.

c1900

Present Day

Dewey Boulevard (now Roxas Boulevard)

Roxas Boulevard (formerly known as Dewey Boulevard) is a boulevard in Metro Manila, and an eight-lane arterial road that connects the center of Manila with Pasay City, Parañaque City. It is one of the major arteries in the city's metropolitan network, designated as Radial Road 1. Formerly named in honor of the American Admiral George Dewey who defeated the Spanish navy in the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898, the boulevard was renamed to Roxas Boulevard in the 1960's to honor President Manuel Roxas, the fifth President of the Republic of Philippines. Roxas Boulevard runs along the shores Manila Bay and is well-known for its sunsets.

c1910

2005

Quiapo Church (Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene)

Quiapo Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the District of Quiapo, Manila. The church is one of the most popular churches in the country. It is home to the Black Nazarene, a much venerated statue of Jesus Christ which many people believe has miraculous attributes. The church was painted cream after the original Mexican Baroque edifice was burned down in 1928. It is expanded to its current form in 1984 for accommodation of thousands of devotees. Also known as St. John the Baptist Parish, the church at present belongs to the Archdiocese of Manila.

c1900

2006

These are the wonderful photographs of Manila then and now. I will try to come up with another set in the near future.

[Updates]

• Wonderful Photographs of Manila Then and Now (Second Part)
• Wonderful Photographs of Manila Then and Now (Third Part)

Thanks again for taking time to visit InhoHiway.

If you enjoyed this article and wish to receive more great articles from me then don't forget to subscribe to my regular Email Updates to receive Latest Articles in your Mailbox.

Feel free to reuse this blog's contents under a Creative Commons Attribution Sharealike license unless otherwise noted.

Image & Caption Sources: http://www.pinoyexchange.com | http://www.skyscrapercity.com | http://quod.lib.umich.edu | http://en.wikipedia.org |

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