10 HISTORICAL PLACES IN THE PHILIPPINES

1. Aguinaldo Shrine (Kawit, Cavite) Ancestral home of Emilio Aguinaldo, first president of the Philippines, Aguinaldo Shrine is where the independence of the Philippines from Spain was declared on June 12, 1898. Now a museum, the national shrine houses historical and family treasures and is maintained by the National Historical Institute of the Philippines. 2. Barasoain Church (Malolos, Bulacan) Also known as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, Barasoain Church is one of the oldest churches in the Philppines and has earned the title of the "Cradle of Democracy in the East, the most important religious building in the Philippines." Three major historical events happened here, namely the convening of the First Philippine Congress on September 15, 1898, the drafting of the Malolos Constitution from September 29, 1898 to January 21, 1899, and the inauguration of the First Philippine Republic on January 23, 1899. The church was proclaimed a National Shrine on August 1, 1973 by President Ferdinand Marcos. 3. Church of San Agustin (Paoay, Ilocos Norte) Also known as Paoay Church and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Church of San Agustin is one of the best examples of Earthquake Baroque architecture in the Philippines. This refers to European Baroque adapted to the country's seismic conditions. The church also exhibits Indonesian architecture reminiscent of Borobodur of Java. 4. Corregidor Island (Bataan) Also called Isla ng Corregidor and known as the gateway to Manila Bay, Corregidor Island is one of the most important hisotoric and tourist sites in the country. The island was heavily bombarded during World War II, and today, the ruins left on the island serve a military monument to the fallen soldiers. 5. Fort Santiago (Intramuros, Manila) Known as Fuerza de Santiago in Spanish and Moog ng Santiago in Filipino, the citadel of Fort Santiago was first built by Spanish conquistador Miguel Lpez de Legazpi to be part of the structures of Intramuros, the walled city of Manila. One of the most important historical sites in Manila, it was where the country's national hero, Jos Rizal, was imprisoned before his execution in 1896. It is now managed by the Intramuros Administration.

6. Magellan's Cross (Cebu City) Upon arriving in Cebu in April 1521, Portugese and Spanish explorers planted this cross by the order of Ferdinand Magellan. It is now housed in a chapel next to the Basilica Minore del Santo Nio in Cebu City and encased within the wooden cross in the chapel to protect it from vandals. However, some believe that the original cross disappeared after Magellan's death and that the one found in the chapel is a replica. 7. Plaza Cuartel (Puerto Princesa, Palawan) One of the last bastions of Allied Forces in the Philippines, Plaza Cuartel was a military fort during World War II, when it was heavily shelled by the Japanese in the country's worst bombings. In the tunnels, 150 American prisoners of war were kept, and on December 14, 1944, the Japanese soldiers held a mass execution, buring them alive. In 1997, Plaza Cuartel was made into a leisure park. 8. Rizal's House (Calamba, Laguna) The family home of the country's national hero is considered one of the best examples of Hispanic architecture in the Philippines. Inside, one can find the Rizal family heirlooms, and outside, the old stone facade remains intact. 9. Sunken Cemetery (Catamaran, Camiguin) The volcanic birth of Mt. Vulcan Daan that lasted from 1871 to about 1875 caused some areas in the town of Bonbon to sink below sea level, including its cemetery. A huge cross was erected here in 1982 to commemorate the sunken cemetery. 10. Vigan Heritage City (Vigan, Ilocos Sur) A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city of Vigan is one of the few Hispanic towns left in the country. Its cobblestone streets are reknowned, as are the unique architecture that is a fusion of Philippine and Oriental designs and colonial European architecture. The city also has many sites worth exploring.