The Jones Bridge
Ermita, Manila
PUBLISHED February 2, 2007
PHOTOS | WORDS BY MARIANO SAYNO
I used to sneak up on Jones Bridge for sunset shots, but now I stop and enjoy its intricate design every time I go into Chinatown or Intramuros. Enjoying it during the day is great, but most impressive at night when lit up beautifully.
- Ermita, Manila
Jones Bridge is easily recognizable by its beautiful, ornately designed black lamp posts. When the Manila government relaunched it to bring back its old design, this bridge suddenly gained popularity among residents and tourists alike.
- Ermita, Manila
I used to sneak up on Jones Bridge for sunset shots, but now I stop and enjoy its intricate design every time I go into Chinatown or Intramuros. Enjoying it during the day is great, but most impressive at night when lit up beautifully.
PHOTOS | WORDS BY MARIANO SAYNO
PUBLISHED February 2, 2007
Jones Bridge is easily recognizable by its beautiful, ornately designed black lamp posts. When the Manila government relaunched it to bring back its old design, this bridge suddenly gained popularity among residents and tourists alike.
Jones Bridge is easily recognizable by its beautiful, ornately designed black lamp posts. When the Manila government relaunched it to bring back its old design, this bridge suddenly gained popularity among residents and tourists alike.
ABOVE | During the day, Jones Bridge is reflected in Pasig River’s water. At night that reflection becomes even more pronounced due to the lamp posts along its banks and sidewalks.
The bridge is connecting Intramuros and Binondo districts in Manila, and it was first built in 1876 under the name Puente Espana. After it was destroyed by war, a new bridge with a different name was build in 1919 in honor of American Legislator William Atkinson Jones. He was the author of the Jones Law that gave legislative autonomy to the Philippines from the United States in 1916.
OLD PHOTO | The bridge as it looked before its renovation and transformation into what it is today. The spot has always been a favorite of tourists and photographers for sunset shoots.
The construction of bridges was part of a master plan devised by Daniel Burnham, who was inspired by the river Seine in Paris and canals like Venice’s. Filipino architect Juan Arellano took over the project and finished it according to his design.
Jones Bridge was originally a stunningly designed neo-classical structure, decorated with three arches and two piers, much like the Pont Alexandre III in Paris. At each end of the bridge, four statues were placed on pedestals, celebrating and symbolizing motherhood and nationhood.
Unfortunately, during the Battle of Manila in 1945, the bridge was bombed by Japanese forces. The entire structure collapsed, and the statues were reduced to pieces.
The new lamp posts, designed by architect Jerry Acuzar, are similar enough to the originals that they inspire visions of what Manila must have looked like in those early years before war destroyed so much of the city.
But, thanks to the efforts of architects, Jones Bridge is now back in all its glory! In 1998, architect Conrad Onglao restored part of the bridge. And most recently, in 2019, Manila’s Mayor Isko Moreno made a full restoration of the bridge, bringing it back to its original look.
The mayor and his team installed lamp posts and put back four statues in bridge ends. The sculptures were moved from Rizal Park and the Court of Appeals Compound, and replicas were created to replace those that had been destroyed. The lamp posts were based on the originals that had been built before wartime destruction, and were designed by architect Jerry Acuzar.
The black lamps that line the street contrast with, and illuminate, the colorful Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch—the gateway to Chinatown.
Since its full restoration, Jones Bridge has become a popular tourist spot in Manila. People come to enjoy its beauty when it is illuminated by lamps at sunset. You can even take a stroll in Chinatown and Intramuros afterwards.
It’s remarkable to see historic places like Jones Bridge still standing today. This bridge will continue to be a part of Manila’s history, and it’s definitely worth taking a trip to appreciate its beauty.
The beautiful, intricately designed lamp posts that line the sides of Jones Bridge draw locals and tourists alike to the area during night time hours when they are most brightly illuminated.
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