For the love of old buildings and culture: Escolta x Binondo

That thing called "looking for Tadhana"

My BFF Aira aka fake cousin (I pretended to be her cousin when I stayed with her at Dumaguete) is spending her semestral break at Luzon. Besides going to the same high school, loving the same books, sharing the same star signs, we both love history! 

Specifically she said, "BRING ME TO OLD BUILDINGS AND BRING ME TO A GOOD LEGIT CHINESE PANSIT PLACE. MY BUDGET IS 500". So here are my attempts of fulfilling her request:

From my university, we rode a jeepney to Plaza Miranda in Quiapo (Php6) where you can also see Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or more commonly known as Quiapo church. 

Plaza Lacson (former Plaza Goiti)

I lead Aira and Sam (Aira's cousin) to Plaza Lacson by way of FR Hidalgo St. and Palanca St. I pretty much know Quiapo and Escolta (one of my go to places definitely!) like the back of my hand by now since I've been constantly going to Escolta for about 2-3 years now to support local community artists.

From Plaza Lacson, you can see to your left the Neoclassical architecture of Don Roman Santos Building which housed the first savings bank in the country, Monte de Piedad Savings Bank.

Cornering Don Roman Santos is the entrance to Calle de la Escolta, one of the oldest streets in Manila. Escolta served as Manila's primary commercial district until its decline in the 1960s. The street used to have the city's tallest buildings, fashion district, tranvia (electric tram line), as well as the Manila Stock Exchange!

First United Building

Escolta will greet you with two adjacent buildings designed by Andres Luna de San Pedro, renowned painter Juan Luna's son. Regina building (left) formerly known as Roxas Building is a combination of neoclassicism and beux-arts while First United Building (right) formerly known as Perez-Samanillo Building is a combined project by Juan F. Nakpil is in Art Deco style. 

Fan fact (haha): 

First United Building was the tallest building in Manila in 1928.

On the first floor of First United Building, you will see what used to be 98B COLLABoratory's weekend market - an initiative to generate renewed interest in the street. The bazaar - Saturday x Future Market - used to run only every first saturday of the month. I'm so glad that they have decided to make it permanent under a new name: Hub: Make Lab though I have yet to visit (they're closed on Mondays. We visited on a Monday 😭)

Sy Lian Teng museum

On the second floor is the First United Community Museum. The museum shows the history of Escolta through one of the most prominent businessmen during its "Manila's Queen of Streets" glory, Sy Lian Teng. (He looks like my guakong 😂)

Natividad Building

On the next street, is Burke Building (the one with the Ministop) which had the first elevator in Manila.  After Burke is beaux-arts architecture designed Natividad Building by architect Fernando de la Cantera Blondeau.

Escolta Ice Cream & Snacks

The famous ice cream shop in the vicinity. I find it quite pricy and I also didn't like the tase - P72 for a pint! We got a pistachio-flavored pint.

Calvo Building

Calvo Building is of beaux-arts architecture and designed by Fernando Ocampo. It was the home of radio station DZBB-AM and the birthplace of Kapuso Network GMA. It has a museum (P20 for students, P50 for regular) of any old thing Manila + has one of those classic-style Otis elevators!

Capitol Theater

Across is national artist Juan Nakpil's art deco theater, Capitol.



On Yuchengco St., to your left you will find this UFO-shaped building which houses BPI and to your right is the homey hopia store, Polland.

They indeed serve their hopia hot. Comparing to other hopias, theirs is chewy and softer. I thought it was because it was served hot but I ate my leftover hours later and it still has the same texture.

Largest Chinatown Arch in the world

On Quintin Paredes St., you will see Jones Bridge which connects Binondo with Manila's center, Ermita. To celebrate the 444th founding anniversary of Manila and the 40th diplomatic ties between Philippines and China, this peace arch was inaugurated in 2015.

El Hogar Filipino Building

A wedding present of Antonio Melian y Pavia, 3rd Count of Peracamps to Margarita Zobel de Ayala in 1914 and one of Manila's earliest skyscraper designed by Ramon Irureta-Goyena and Francisco Perez-Muñoz remains standing at the corner of Juan Luna St. and Muelle dela Industria. One of the two remaining American-era structures in the area, this neoclassical and renaissance styled building is unused today.

Infront of El Hogar is the Juan Luna building.

In San Vicente St. corner Quintin Paredes St. is art nouveau Uy Chaco Building built in the 1920s.

Filipino-Chinese Frienship Arch infront of Uy Chaco Building

Another old building in Dasmariñas St. corner Quintin Paredes St.

Binondo Church

A long walk from Dasmariñas St. to Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz is Binondo Church or Minor Basilica of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz which was originally founded to serve Chinese converts to Christianity. Masses are helf in Filipino, Mandarin, Hokkien and English.

I'll be reserving the food review for another post. For this trip, we ate at Polland, New Po Heng, Holland, Wai Ying, Shanghai Fried siopao, Diao Eng Chay and Sincerity.

Ongpin St.

Last stop for the day was baroque Sta. Cruz Church and Carriedo Fountain as National Museum was closed that day.

We spent less than P500 for the day.

//Will probably update the pictures next time when I finally take a photo of Quiapo church and Plaza Miranda