July 8, 2010

A place to sleep

Part of the oldest building in Fort Santiago, the brick ruins which stand beside the Rizal Shrine were originally the barracks of Spanish soldiers built in 1593. During the American period, they were used as the homes of army officers and their families. The building was destroyed during WWII and only a few sections of the walls with arched windows and doorways remain standing. They look kind of lovely among the lush, green plants.

ruins of old Spanish barracks in Fort Santiago

23 comments:

Kaori said...

Looks like it could be on the cover or national geographic! The brown ruins seem to fit in naturally among the green trees :-)

Chattahoochee Valley Daily said...

Intersting shot, Hilda. Very lush and green.

Anonymous said...

Surely a place that breathes history, maybe even where time finds enough rest to sleep. Please have a great Thursday.

daily athens

Photo Cache said...

from this angle it looks like a part of a resort. i love anything bricks.

escape said...

that's what i like about ruins. sometimes even they are 860-80% damaged but still you know how beutiful the structure was years back.

Olivier said...

beau bâtiment dans la jungle

Dave-CostaRicaDailyPhoto.com said...

Important past, followed by violent destruction, followed by peaceful beauty and rejuvenation.

Chic Jane said...

Thank you for this wonderful photo!

I haven't seen that place for almost 19 years! I used to walk tirelessly through that area during my short stint in Colegio de San Juan de Letran. I still find that place quite romantic in historical sense.

Cezar and Léia said...

You are right, there is a lovely harmony with the green and today almost a wall from this ruins.
By the way, wonderful nature plants!
Léia

brattcat said...

Indeed. This is a very fine composition.

Marie said...

It looks as if the plants are guarding the walls.... This is beautiful.

Lowell said...

They do indeed look lovely and make one wonder what is was like way back then. I find it hard to believe anything is still standing from 1593!

Unknown said...

You are absolutely right, they look fantastic surrounded by all that tropical green!

Lois said...

Yes they are lovely! I wonder how many critters are living among those lush, green plants.

Halcyon said...

It's sad to think of things being destroyed. But I also sort of think these ruins look good amongst all the lush plants.

GreensboroDailyPhoto said...

These walls have so much history. And they remain beautiful. Hope there is a plaque-- on site-- outlining what you told us!

Jan

arabesque said...

i'm loving the greens,
i like how you chose this perspective instead of showing the other side of it. ^0^
and like always, i wish the gov't will do something about it.

Louis la Vache said...

An interesting post, Hilda - and a reminder of the horrible destruction the Philippines suffered in World War II.

Hilda said...

Jan:
Of course there is. It's where I got the information I wrote here in the first place. I always take pictures of the information plaques too. :)

Arabesque:
This is one time that I don't want them to do anything. Even in person, the ruins look perfect among the greenery. It's kind of haunting when you walk inside the empty shells, and that's exactly the feeling that you want people to get here.

James said...

What a neat place. I love finding old ruins to photograph. The old bricks look great with all of the green around.

Now that you mention it my photo reminds me of the nursery rhyme about the "crooked man and the crooked house" too. My mother used to read it to me when I was a little boy. :)

Dina said...

Lovely, yes, trying to say something in their silent voice.

George said...

The ruins do look beautiful in this setting. I'm glad the walls have not been torn down.

AB said...

These probably look better as abandoned ruins