srsy07
About 48 kilometers west of Manila lies a small rocky island known as Corregidor. This fortress witnessed the courage, heroism and valor of Filipinos and American soldiers who bravely fought against the Japanese forces in World War II. The small rocky island is divided into several geographic sectors. Each sector has its own story to tell and this can be seen by the structures found in each sector.
The first sector is known as the Topside, it is the highest part of the island and is about 400 feet above sea level. In here, you will find the ruins of Mile-long Barracks which is a concrete building which is hurricane-proof according to its designers. The American enlisted personnel and officers used this as their garrison. The Spanish Light house is also found in this sector, it was originally built by Spaniards in the year 1836. However, after sixty-one years another lighthouse was built in replacement of this old one.
The second sector is the Middleside which is approximately between 100-400 feet above sea level. In here you will find different parks such as Filipino-American Friendship Park, it commemorates the friendship between Unites States and the Philippines during World War. There is also an Aviary and Theme park that houses both local and foreign varieties of feathered animals such as Philippine horned owl, Indonesian parrot, the red-vested cockatoo and a lot more.
The Bottomside is the lower part of the island and the landmarks that can be seen on this sector are the North and South Dock, Lorcha Dock and Barrio San Jose. These docks played an immense role during the World War II and most of them are currently being used to dock yachts, boats and vessels from the Philippine Navy.
The last sector is the Tail End, it looks like a twisted tail and that is where it got its peculiar name. There are several parks found in this area such as President Manuel Quezon Park, Japanese Garden of Peace and Statue of the Filipino Woman.
There are souvenir shops located in each sector for visitors to purchase memorabilia. You would see several point of purchase display to give you ideas on what are the stories behind the memorabilia.
There’s something about this old rock fortress–this Corregidor — that makes our imaginations fly. It is the feeling of high adventure; a romanticized getaway to the era of our forefathers. it’s the “island fever” , wanna visit it 😀
I wanna visit it too! 😀
Pound for pound, Corregidor Island, the Fortress of Freedom – is the ultimate tourist destination in the Philippines. Located only 42 miles from Manila, and accessible via an eighty-minute boat boat ride, the island boasts of numerous scenic vistas that are chock-full of historicity. Each location had its own role to play during the war, so by visiting each one and learning of its significance, you can glean the scale and power of the drama that made this island a legend of recent times.
wooah , so its 42 miles away from Manila, I wonder how far it is from Laguna
Check out the awesome artillery of Battery Crockett, Battery Way, Battery Hearn, and Battery Grubbs and Battery Geary. See and feel the results of massive bombardment on these emplacements. Bomb craters, bullet holes, pulverized concrete and twisted metal will give you an idea of what Corregidor’s gallant defenders had to go through.
Visit the ruins of the Mile-Long Barracks, Fort Mills Headquarters, Middleside Barracks, Officer’s Row on Cheney Drive, the North and South Docks, and see how the old tram lines network interconnected these island facilities.
During its heyday, the island had its own nine-hole golf course, officer’s club, commissary, ice plant, and a full-sized cinema. Two large reservoirs with a combined capacity of four million gallons took care of the water requirements of the island.
Then, you can gaze in wonder at the incomparable spectacle of a view of Manila Bay from atop the Spanish Lighthouse. On a clear day, you can practically see the skyline of Metro Manila. After that,get an “in-depth” view of Malinta Tunnel, which had a network of over 24 laterals deep within Malinta Hill
This underground complex served as the seat of the Philippine Commonwealth during the siege. The complex included a 1,000-bed hospital, fuel tanks, communication and cryptography sections, sleeping quarters, and administrative offices. Malinta Tunnel was designed to be practically self-ventilating. A system of air shafts contributed to the natural ventilation.
Several monuments now stand on the island, most notable of which is the Pacific War Memorial with its Dome of Peace, and Monument of the Eternal Flame.
There’s also the Filipino Heroes’ Memorial, the Filipino-Amercian Friendship Memorial, the Japanese Garden of Peace, the Wainwright Memorial, as well as statues of Manuel Quezon, Sergio Osmena, and Douglas MacArthur.
You can also drop by the Pacific War Museum and feast your eyes on relics from that bygone era.
Also in Corregidor Island ?
Because of its inherent terrain features and structures, Corregidor Island is a veritable theme park. It has lots of open spaces, and lends itself well to educational tours, hikes, nature appreciation, cycling, photographic jaunts, and other outdoor adventure activities.
I really appreciate the beauty of every place I’ve got into.
Corregidor has four other smaller islands associated with it, namely Caballo, Carabao, El Fraile, and La Monja islands. It is interesting to note that the Philippine Volcanology website lists the main island as Mt. Corregidor- a dormant volcano.
The main head of the island, together with its semicircular tadpole-like shape, and Caballo Island, form an atoll of sorts that could have once been the crater. Satellite photos of Mt. Mariveles in Bataan (only a few miles away North of Corregidor) show that it also has a large crater.
those are informations about thew FORTRESS OF CORREGIDOR ISLAND . I hope it helps you a lot 🙂
i almost love to go there . but i was just encountering problems . and its the reason why i cant arrive hir in our hometown 🙂
Financial Problem is mine.
Mine is financial plus time 😛
Corregidor Island is very historical, I wish I can visit the island and have the chance to explore it and its many historical landmarks
One of my HS teachers kept on stressing that Corregidor Island is truly historical… 🙂