via Manila Bulletin, 10 September 2022: Short travel piece on Fort Santiago in Intramuros.
According to the IA website, Fort Santiago was a Spanish military fortress (1571-1898) that housed many Filipino and American prisoners during the Spanish Colonial Period and WWII (1939-1945).
Then, the fort also served as headquarters of the armies of the British (1762 to 1764), American (1898 to 1946), and Japanese (1942 to 1945). It was declared a National Shrine and Monument in 1951 and a National Cultural Treasure in 2014.
Originally built to house weapons of the Spanish army, the dungeons in Fort Santiago can accommodate up to 100 people. Records say that around 600 prisoners were found dead inside the dungeons after WWII. For a time, Rizal was imprisoned in one of the dungeons’ cells.
Source: Fort Santiago: Find time to walk around the landmarks of PH history – Manila Bulletin
