Fort Santiago
Fuerte de Santiago
A Spanish colonial-era fortress at the northern tip of Intramuros, where the Filipino national hero José Rizal was imprisoned before his execution.
Fort Santiago was begun in 1571 by Spanish colonizers on the site of a wooden stockade built by Rajah Sulayman, a Muslim chieftain. It guards the mouth of the Pasig River and was the core of Intramuros’ defenses. In 1896, the Filipino national hero José Rizal was imprisoned here before his execution. The Rizal Shrine inside displays his belongings and his final poem, “My Last Farewell.” Bronze footprints set into the ground trace his final walk to the execution site.
During World War II, the Japanese used the fort as a prison, and many civilians died in its dungeons. Visitors can look out over the Pasig River from the walls.
Admission is about ₱75. The fort is at the northern end of Intramuros and can be visited on foot, or by tricycle or electric vehicle, while touring the area.
Opening hours
Daily 08:00–22:00 (museum approx. 09:00–18:00; some closed Mondays)
Nearby sights
- Intramuros
- Manila Cathedral
- Binondo Chinatown
- Binondo Church
- Casa Manila
- San Agustin Church
- Manila Metropolitan Theater
- Divisoria Market