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ERMITA , MANILA

Ermita is a district of Manila, Philippines located halfway between Intramuros (the old walled city) and Malate.

History

Ermita was founded in the late 16th century. The name was taken from the Spanish word for "hermitage", after the fact that on this site was built a hermitage housing an image of the Virgin Mary known as the Nuestra Señora de Guia (Our Lady of Guidance). The hermitage has since evolved into Ermita Church, which has been rebuilt several times since the early 17th century.

Ermita gained renewed prominence during the American colonial period. It became known as the university district, containing the campuses of the University of the Philippines, the Ateneo de Manila, the Assumption College and the St. Paul College for girls. Dormitories for students also flourished in the area. The residential portion of Ermita was populated by American residents, who set up such establishments as the Army and Navy Club, and the University Club.

During the 1945 Battle of Manila, Ermita was the scene of some of the most horrific massacres that occurred during the month of February, 1945. The wife and four children of future President Elpidio Quirino were murdered in Ermita, as was Supreme Court Associate Justice Anacleto Diaz. Between 68% to 85% of Ermita was destroyed during the Battle of Manila, with an estimated total of 100,000 Filipino civilians killed in the city itself.

Sites of interest

Several government institutions are housed in Ermita, including the:

• Philippine Supreme Court
• Manila City Hall
• Philippine Postal Office

and other offices found along the old government circle designed during the American era by architect and urban planner Daniel Burnham, such as the

• Department of Tourism and the
• National Museum of the Filipino People
• Rizal Park, the widest open urban public park in the country and location of the monument to the national hero Jose Rizal, is a prominent feature of Ermita.

Other sites of interest in Ermita include the

• United States Embassy
• National Library of the Philippines
• Quirino Grandstand
• Manila Ocean Park
• Bonifacio's Wall
• Metropolitan Theater
• The Manila Hotel
• Masonic Temple
• San Vicente de Paul Church
• Philippine General Hospital, the country's largest hospital.