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.
Looks like it could be on the cover or national geographic! The brown ruins seem to fit in naturally among the green trees :-)
ReplyDeleteIntersting shot, Hilda. Very lush and green.
ReplyDeleteSurely a place that breathes history, maybe even where time finds enough rest to sleep. Please have a great Thursday.
ReplyDeletedaily athens
from this angle it looks like a part of a resort. i love anything bricks.
ReplyDeletethat's what i like about ruins. sometimes even they are 860-80% damaged but still you know how beutiful the structure was years back.
ReplyDeletebeau bâtiment dans la jungle
ReplyDeleteImportant past, followed by violent destruction, followed by peaceful beauty and rejuvenation.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this wonderful photo!
ReplyDeleteI 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.
You are right, there is a lovely harmony with the green and today almost a wall from this ruins.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, wonderful nature plants!
Léia
Indeed. This is a very fine composition.
ReplyDeleteIt looks as if the plants are guarding the walls.... This is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThey 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!
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right, they look fantastic surrounded by all that tropical green!
ReplyDeleteYes they are lovely! I wonder how many critters are living among those lush, green plants.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad to think of things being destroyed. But I also sort of think these ruins look good amongst all the lush plants.
ReplyDeleteThese walls have so much history. And they remain beautiful. Hope there is a plaque-- on site-- outlining what you told us!
ReplyDeleteJan
i'm loving the greens,
ReplyDeletei 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.
An interesting post, Hilda - and a reminder of the horrible destruction the Philippines suffered in World War II.
ReplyDeleteJan:
ReplyDeleteOf 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.
What a neat place. I love finding old ruins to photograph. The old bricks look great with all of the green around.
ReplyDeleteNow 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. :)
Lovely, yes, trying to say something in their silent voice.
ReplyDeleteThe ruins do look beautiful in this setting. I'm glad the walls have not been torn down.
ReplyDeleteThese probably look better as abandoned ruins
ReplyDelete