Living Alongside History: The Walled City (ESSAY)

Living Alongside History: The Walled City

Jose Rizal. A single name, yet it carries such a huge connotation of nationalism.

The Walled City, it was called. Built in the mid-1500s, during the first few decades of the Spanish colonization, the grandeur of the town's history is unparalleled. With thick brick walls which once stood more than 20 feet tall surrounding it entirely, there's no question why the colonizers made it the center of all legislative, commercial, religious and judiciary activities. What better way to boast the city's splendor to all the indio than to build a military fort right within it? This way, no one will dare question the Spanish superpowers living within its walls.

Four and a half centuries later, a small band of friends decided to see what remained of its marvels. The four kids, barely adults, resolved to find where their so-called National Hero resided during his final days.

I was among these 4 children. It was hardly a clever decision for me to travel that day, for I was stricken with a cold and all I wanted was to rest. Later, I will realize that it was a decision I will not regret.

Upon entering the city, my friends and I mapped out our plans for the day. It was still early in the morning when we first entered the city gates, and we literally had a lot of ground to cover. We spent the entire morning trekking atop the right-side walls, and all we saw besides the myriads of war canons were old gardens and balwarts. Of course the city housed new commercial and academic buildings, but these were mostly built during the post-Spanish era. Of course the city walls were lined by more than a number of watch towers and stations, which was home to the millions of soldiers who guarded it during the last half-millennia.

As the sun rose higher above the clear sky, we decided to have our lunch before proceeding with our journey. Afterwards, The Fort Santiago was where we headed next.

I would not detail every single structure of what can be seen there. Most of what remained were restricted, replicates, or dedicated to the museum inside the fort. There were hardly any physical structures remaining of the original fort, except the magnificent entryway, a theater, and a small make-up chapel with a tunnel leading to it. Worth mentioning is that Rizal's prison cell was still standing. The museum, dedicated to him, was built around the cell. I must say, the museum is one definitely worth seeing. It was at the very least engaging, and it was a very well-done tribute for Dr. Jose Rizal's life.

If one were to ask what struck me the most in the entire Fort Santiago experience, I can't place it as a solid material such as the "Dambana ni Rizal" or the footsteps engraved in the ground, nor something in the museum. It's something deeper than that. It was the rich feeling of living alongside history. It was the nostalgia that fogged each thought and each memory. It was the scent of the mystery of the past, which for once, I was able to grasp. It was such a beauty, I will not be able to explain it to my friends that day. I have always seen history from afar, but now I had a chance to experience it. And for that, I will always be grateful.