Those who want to tour the historic Fort Santiago in Intramuros have the chance to do it without charge.
The Intramuros Administration on Thursday announced that the public could visit the tourist destination in Manila and avail of a free guided tour from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
It will be conducted by its volunteer tour guides accredited by the tourism department.
The initiative is in line with the celebration of the “Araw ng Maynila” or “Manila Day” on June 24.
Those interested may inquire at the Intramuros Visitors Center located at the restored Baluartillo de San Francisco Javier.
Fort Santiago also held a free guided tour last June 20 in honor of the National Tour Guides Day.
The “Araw ng Maynila” is a public holiday commemorating the founding of the city on June 24, 1571, by Spanish colonizer Miguel López de Legazpi.
He was assigned to colonize the Philippines for the Spanish crown, which included the invasion of Manila, a rich Moslem kingdom under Rajah Sulayman.
In 1976, the site was established as the country’s capital and the seat of national government.
The city is now among the most densely populated cities in the world.
Meanwhile, Fort Santiago is a national shrine that has witnessed numerous events in the country’s prehispanic and colonial history, as well as the Filipinos’ journey to independence.
The site became a formidable symbol of Spanish power in the orient.
Fort Santiago is named after St. James the Moor-slayer, known by the Spanish as Santiago Matamoros.
The place is notable for being the headquarters of the armies of foreign powers in Philippine history, namely the Spanish, British, the Americans and the Japanese.
The fort has been considered a National Shrine and National Monument since 1951 and a National Cultural Treasure since 2014.
