This former military base hides some dark secrets, but is now enjoying happier times as a memorial to a national hero.
Fort Santiago dates back to the 16th century, when it was built by the Spanish over the fort of the last pre-Hispanic chieftain of Manila as a strategic lookout over Manila Bay. Since then it has served as a military base and a prison, most notoriously under the control of the Japanese Imperial Army during the Second World War, when it was used as a place of torture and execution.
Happily the fort is now reincarnated as a place of peace and relaxation, where you can take an informative walk through Manila history and pay tribute to a national hero. The Rizal Shrine is dedicated to Dr José Rizal, the legendary Filipino reformist who fought passionately for his country’s independence from Spain and was executed by firing squad in 1896 after spending the last months of his life imprisoned in Fort Santiago.
The shrine houses an exhibition of Rizal’s life and work, including artworks, books and personal artifacts. Among the more unusual items on display is one of his bones showing the bullet still embedded. You can also visit his prison cell and follow his final footsteps, poignantly reproduced in bronze, to the place of his execution in present-day Rizal Park.
There is plenty more to see at Fort Santiago, which is named after the patron saint of Spain. The spectacularly reconstructed main gate and the surrounding bastions are reminders of its important role as a defence against invaders. As you pass through the gate, be sure to look up at the vast wooden relief of St James the Great – Santiago in Spanish – on horseback.
Fort Santiago is part of the walled city of Intramuros and is an important heritage site. Leave time on your visit to wander through the surrounding parkland, a popular place for picnics and open-air theatre performances. The site is easily accessed by taxi, bus or jeepney, or by light rail to the United Nations Station, from which it is a pleasant 20-minute walk. Fort Santiago is open every day and there is an admission charge.
