St Peter and Paul Church |  Makati City is a bustling metropolis with these four heritage sites that highlight the city’s historic and cultural past.

Where In Makati: 4 Heritage Sites To Visit

Makati City is a melting pot of industries, education, and the sophisticated urban lifestyle. For decades, people have flocked to Makati to seek better opportunities in their employment and business ventures. Parents also choose to live in this city so they can send their kids to premiere educational institutions here. Makati’s continuous development has changed its course and will continue to shape its future.

Despite being a contemporary hub of buildings and busy roads, Makati continues to preserve historic traces of its colonial past. Amidst the modern skyscrapers, you’ll find these four heritage sites you might want to visit during your next trip.

Old Poblacion

Nowadays, the Poblacion district (also called Pob)  is known for its restaurants, coffee shops, and co-working spaces. Neighboring malls and offices accentuate Poblacion’s contemporary vibe, which starkly contrasts with its old roots.

Back then, Pob was the first settlement and commercial center of Makati City, predating the Makati Central Business District for 200 hundred years. Old photos show what Pob used to be: a downtown outlined with Spanish-style homes, communal facilities, and ancient churches. You’ll realize that the real estate of Pob back then is in stark comparison now with the city’s modern developments, such as Rockwell Center, Century City, and houses for sale at Forbes Park.

Nonetheless, Pob’s evolution from its colonial past to its modern vibe reflects how far Makati has grown in terms of economic and cultural progress.

The Guadalupe Ruins

Housed within the Poblacion district lies the Guadalupe Ruins, or canonically known as the Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church. You’ll notice that the 400-year-old church’s massive buttresses and beautiful Doric architecture are still intact, perfectly contrasting with the rest of Makati’s cityscape.

The Guadalupe Ruins is a favorite venue for weddings for many Manila inhabitants. It is perhaps due to the church’s ancient structure which adds an antique feel to photos, especially when uploaded on social media pages.

Saints Peter and Paul Church

Another church to visit in Makati is the Saints Peter and Paul Church D.M Rivera Street, also in Poblacion. Known as San Pedro Macati Church to the locals, this church has a traditional Spanish-style architecture characterized by a rectangular nave, arches, vaults, and sacristy.

While the rest of the church remains preserved, parts of it were destroyed and renovated for other purposes. For example, the former church graveyard is now the Plaza Cristo Rey, a venue for cultural events.

Museo ng Makati

If you want to explore all sorts of memorabilia preserving Makati’s past, take a trip to the Museo ng Makati. Built-in 1918, the museum houses various ethnographic artifacts, archeological finds, prehistoric earthenware, and animal fossils. You’ll also find a collection of rare photographs, dioramas, and murals showcasing Makati’s history and culture.

Overall, the city of Makati is a melting pot of history, culture, and modern developments. Condos and malls may have dominated the city’s urbanscape but that doesn’t mean its heritage sites are gone and forgotten. Plan your next Makati trip post-pandemic and add these four historic places to your itinerary.

SOURCES:

https://bluprint.onemega.com/poblacion-heritage-district/

https://www.vigattintourism.com/tourism/articles/Notable-Historical-Sites-of-Makati

https://nolisoli.ph/84866/five-heritage-sites-in-metro-manila-ymagcamit-20200804/