THE BEAUTY OF

Santa Cruz

PUBLISHED February 11, 2007

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIANO SAYNO

Home to Manila’s numerous institutions, the Santa Cruz, Manila is a district known for being a gateway to multiple districts like Quiapo, Ermita and Binondo.

Located on the right bank of the Pasig River near its mouth and bordered by many districts, the Santa Cruz is surrounded by notable places such as one of the Philippines oldest’ catholic church, Santa Cruz Church, a number of Spanish-colonial period houses and establishments like the Ongpin Commercial Centre. The district is also known for Plaza Lacson, one of the few public squares that survived the pre-World War II in neoclassical Architecture, and the Avenida Rizal or Rizal Avenue, once the centre of the city’s social life, restaurants and movie theatres.

With the Santa Cruz, Manila and its neighbouring districts connected altogether, there are plenty of options to choose; if you want to have a memorable food trip, the Binondo district is the best. If you want to visit the chain of universities, the Sampaloc district is the route. There are surely many things to do in here!

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