What's in the
name Manila?!
The name 'Manila' has a special meaning.
The original name was "MayNilad". It was the name of the
pre-colonial Moslem settlement. Already before the Spaniards came to May
Nilad, the place was a small but prosperous trading port.
The name means: 'where the blossoming
water plants grow'.
Intramuros, a City of Spain in the
Orient
Soon after the Spaniards conquered
May Nilad, they decided to build a fortified settlement to protect their
trade in the Orient. Spanish style house, monasteries, churches and
schools were build within walls. Seven gates were the
connection with 'the outside world'. Though the Japanese army ruined
90 percent of the urban area, there are still some remnants of the medieval walled
city of
Intramuros.
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Wall
of Intramuros
©
Antonio DelaCova
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From Manila to Metro Manila
As the city of Manila grew and other
cities in the surrounding region got bigger, all these places (7 cities
and 9 towns) grew together to the huge metropolitan area of today, Metro
Manila! The total urban area counted in 2000 almost 10 million inhabitants.
Manila City is, with 1.6 million inhabitants, not the biggest city in the
area. The two biggest cities are Calloocan City (1.17 million) and Quezon
City (2.17 million).
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