Before my flight, I decided to check out one last tourist spot in Cebu. There are several recommendations when you search for where to go around the city, but I haven't been to Fort San Pedro so I went for it.
Other Historical Sites Within Cebu City:
1. Casa Gorordo Museum
2. Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu
3. Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House
4. The Heritage of Cebu Monument
6. Magellan's Cross
Magellan's Cross is walking distance to the fort, so I decided to stop by prior. I've been here during my first trip in Cebu in 2013 with Paxie! Its significance is being the first Christian cross planted in the Philippines' soil.
Compared before, there were little to no people surrounding the cross. There were still candles for sale, which I had fond memories with Paxie coz we really took to heart the colors of the ones we bought. While I was there recently, you cannot go inside the pavilion.
FORT SAN PEDRO
I crossed the street to the Island Souvenir store, and walked further and crossed again towards a gated property which is the Plaza Independencia where the Fort San Pedro is located. The park is also nice and huge, but it was soooo hot when I went there so I went ahead towards the fort for shade.
Fort San Pedro, also known as the Fuerte de San Pedro, is a military defense structure built by the Spaniards to "repel Muslim raiders". It was originally made of wood, built under the command of Miguel López de Legazpi.
Meanwhile during the American regime, the barracks was converted into a school! And during the World War II, it was a place of refuge for Japanese residents, and eventually served as an emergency hospital for the wounded. If the walls could speak, Fort San Pedro hold so many stories and secrets.
There's not much to see or do during my visit in 2022, and some of the museum halls were already occupied by office spaces (??) that I was embarrassed to go in, but alam nyo naman, a little research about the place will go a long way. Knowing a bit about a structure's past and its significance to the city made the place so interesting and colorful.
- Oldest and Smallest Fort in the Philippines (2,025 sqm)
- At the fort's entrance, you'll see the Philippine flag, the image of the Santo Niño, and the seal of the Spanish king
- Every corner of this triangular fort holds a bastion for San Miguel (north) Ignacio de Loyola (southeast), and La Concepcion (southwest). You'll also spot a turret or watchtower on these corners
- There are 14 cannons around the fort
- Pre-pandemic, the lawn at the center of the triangular fort used to hold events like birthdays and weddings
You can also see the port area of Cebu City from the fort, a really beautiful view on such a clear day. I missed this, and will always love traveling around Cebu for its rich history.
A. Pigafetta Street, Cebu City
Open daily, from 8AM to 7PM
Entrance fee: PHP 30 Adult, 20% Off for Students / Senior Citizens / PWDs
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