Fort San Pedro, a monument that reminds us of Cebu’s turbulent past, is the smallest, oldest triangular bastion fort in the country. Built to ward off hostile natives and Muslim raiders, it is a defense structure constructed by the Spanish and native Cebuano laborers under the authority of Miguel López de Legazpi and the Spanish Government in Cebu. It served as the core of the first Spanish settlement here in the Philippines. The fort’s name was taken from Legaspi’s flagship “San Pedro” in which he sailed the Pacific Ocean in 1565.
The fort has a total inside area of 2,025 sq. meters. The walls are 20 feet high, 8 feet thick and the towers are 30 feet high from the ground level. It is triangular in shape. Two sides are facing the sea and the third side is fronting the land. The two sides facing the sea were protected with artillery and the front with a strong post made of wood. The three bastions were named La Concepcion (Southwest); Ignacio de Loyola (Southeast), and San Miguel (Northeast). The sides are of unequal lengths and the one fronting the city is where one may find entry into the Fort. Fourteen cannons were mounted and most of which are still there today.
It is located in the area now called Plaza Indepedencia, in the Pier Area of Cebu City, Philippines.
History
The date of construction was uncertain. Yet it was believed that the work was first started on May 8, 1565 under the command of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and was finished in 1738.
Little was known about the activity of the fort from the time it was constructed until about two centuries later when the King of Spain, Philip II, wanted information about the island of Cebu. The Spanish ruler of the Islands at that time made the following reports:
Fuerza San Pedro, the fort is described as built of stone mortar with a terraplein where guns are mounted. The fort contains the necessary buildings. The largest of these buildings was the "Cuerpo de Guardia" where the personnel that manned the fort lived. Adjacent to it was the "Vivende del Teniente" which was the living quarters of the lieutenant of the Fort. In between the aforementioned buildings is a well. At one corner attached to the walls of the bastion San Miguel (NE) was the "Alamazaros del Rivera" (powder magazine where the fort's supply or arms and gunpowder from Manila were stored).
The victory of the Americans led by Commodore Dewey at the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898 marked the end of the Spanish era in the Philippine Islands. The fort was then turned over by the Spaniards to the Cebuano revolutionaries.
The fort then became one of the American Warwick Barracks during the American Regime. From 1937 to 1941, it was converted into a school where a lot of Cebuanos received formal education. It became a prison for local rebels during the Philippine revolution from 1896 to 1898. During World War II (1942-1945), Japanese inhabitants of the city took refuge within the walls. During the battle for liberation, the fort served as an army camp and as an emergency hospital for the wounded.
Cebu Garden Club took over and fixed the inner court into a mini garden after 1950. Although already in ruins, the upper deck was used for different offices. First, as a clinic of the City Health, as office of the Presidential Arm and Community Development, then the City Public Works Unit used the ruins of the Lieutenant's Quarters as its field office. In 1957 the city council commissioned "The Lamplighter", a religious sect, to manage a zoo financed by the city within the fort courtyard.
By 1968, the facade, quarters and walls of the original structures of Fort San Pedro were so obliterated that only the two towers were recognizable. Plans for the restoration of the fort were started and the zoo was relocated.
The plans and estimates for the restoration of the fort were finished by Architect Leonardo Concepcion, who had completed his MA in Restoration in Madrid. The project was funded jointly by the Board of Travel Industry (now Department of Tourism), the Cebu City Government, and the Cebu Zonta Club.
The Fort San Pedro Restoration was a tedious, time and labor consuming project. To restore the fort as close to the original as possible, coral stones which were hauled from under the sea along Cebu coastal towns were utilized. Delivered crudely cut to the restoration site, the fort laborers did the final cutting and polishing to make the blocks fit each other.
Work progressed slowly but the facade, the main building (Cuerpo de Guardia), the walk and the observatory roof garden were restored after one and a half years. In 1978 to August 15, 1993, it housed the offices of the Department of Tourism and Philippine Tourism Authority. At present, it is under the care and administration of the National Museum, a historical park.
These days, part of the fort is a museum. Inside the fort houses the legacies of the Spanish Government. The well preserved Spanish artifacts such as Spanish documents, paintings, sculpture, sword fragments, cannons, helmets and Ming porcelain pieces of various sizes are displayed. A large statue of Legazpi and Antonio Pigafetta may be seen outside the fort walls.
Visitors pay a nominal 10-peso fee to enter the tourism landmark. The fort is located in Barangay San Roque in Cebu City. In front of the fort is another city landmark, the Plaza Independencia, and to its side is the Cebu Central Post Office, which is near Pier 1.
How to get there
Riding a taxi is the easiest way to get there if you’re taking public transportation. All cab drivers know where it is. It is a 70-peso taxi ride if you’re from the uptown area. If you’re taking the cab from Lapu-Lapu City, the ride may cost you 180 pesos.
Jeepney, the Philippine icon of mass transportation, is also available. Several jeepneys have routes that pass this place. Look for jeepneys with Pier 2 or Plaza signboards in their windshields.
What You Can Do at Fort San Pedro
Take a walk
The best way to enjoy and admire all the huge stones that composes the fort is to walk around the area. There are small pathways that you can follow. Tour guides are not available to show you around. You will have to do this on your own.
Visit the museum
The fort has a museum which houses several important historical items. They include utensils, pots and even skeletons of locals in the city. It also contains some Spanish artifacts and the remains of the vessel that sunk in Batangas.
Celebrate special days here
The garden is open for public use. You can celebrate birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and other special occasions here as long as you pay the respected fee.
It used to be a place of discussion among the people, especially during elections. Today, it’s a favorite spot of lovers and families who are looking for cheaper alternatives to shopping malls and resorts.
There are also concerts, debates, and cultural shows.
