Casa Manila

Welcome to the historic walled city of Intramuros, and specifically to the beautifully curated Plaza San Luis Complex. Our subject of scholarly inquiry today is Casa Manila, a meticulously crafted lifestyle museum that offers a…

Our journey begins at the heavy wooden entrance doors on the ground level. In the nineteenth century, an arriving guest would first need to announce their presence by striking the massive Antillean door knocker. …

As we move slightly inward from the covered passageway of the Zaguan, we step into the open air Patio. This central courtyard is a vital anatomical feature of the Bahay na Bato, or the traditional stone house of the Philippines. …

Ascending the first flight of stone stairs, we arrive at an intermediate level known as the Entresuelo. The term literally translates to between floors, denoting a mezzanine level tucked between the damp, utilitarian ground floor…

We now approach the most dramatic architectural transition in the house, the grand wooden staircase leading to the upper floor. As we ascend, we step into the Caida, which translates to the entrance hall or the landing. …

Stepping through the towering double doors, we enter the most spectacular room in Casa Manila, the Sala Mayor, or the main living room. According to social historians, the Sala Mayor was the ultimate public space within the Bahay…

Moving away from the public grandeur of the Sala Mayor, we enter the highly private sanctums of the family, beginning with the Oratorio, or the prayer room. Religion was the absolute bedrock of Spanish colonial society, and a…

We now navigate down the pasillo, the long, polished corridor, to arrive at the Comedor, the grand formal dining room. This spectacular space was the arena for the most elaborate culinary rituals of the colonial elite. …

Leaving the polished elegance of the Comedor, we cross the threshold into the Cocina, or the kitchen. The sensory shift here is immediate and profound. …

As our tour of Casa Manila draws to a close and we prepare to descend back into the modern clamor of the twenty first century, it is vital to pause and synthesize what we have just experienced. We have traversed much more than a…