12c Jones Bridge
16c Santa Lucia Gate
50c Colonnade of Palm Trees
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| The stamps were issued on the 80th anniversary of Jose Rizal's birth, June 19, 1947 |
12c Jones Bridge
The 12c stamp shows a pre-WWII view of Jones Bridge and the Manila Central Post Office .
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| Jones Bridge and Manila Central Post Office |
Jones Bridge
Jones Bridge spans the Pasig River, connecting the district of Binando (Chinatown) with the centre of Manila. The bridge featured on the 12c stamp was built by the Americans in 1916 and named after Atkinson Jones, a member of the U.S. Congress who sponsored the Philippine Autonomy Act in 1916. The ornate bridge was destroyed by bombs in WWII and reconstructed after the war. The new Jones bridge unlike its predecessor is a simple bridge with metal pole railings.
Manila Central Post Office
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| Manila Central Post Office |
The Manila Central Post Office, built in neoclassical architecture in 1926, was severely damaged in WWII and rebuilt in 1946 preserving most of its original design.
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| The Post Office did not produce a first day cachet for the definitive issue |
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Manila's Walled City : Intramuros
Intramuros, located along the southern bank of the Pasig River, is the oldest district and historic core of Manila. Following the Spanish conquest of Manila in 1570, the Spanish built a defensive wall around Manila. The walled part of Manila called Intramuros, which is Latin for "within the walls" political was the military and religious center of the Spanish Empire in Asia..Intramuros was heavily damaged during WWII. Reconstruction of the walls was started in 1951 when Intramuros was declared a National Historical Monument.
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| Contemporary aerial view of Intramuros showing its location relative to Jones Bridge and Manila Central Post Office. |
Intramuros Gates (Puertas)
Entrance to the walled city was through eight gates or Puertas, two of which are described below.
Puerta Santa Lucia
The Puerta Santa Lucia was one of the original entrances to the Walled City when it was built in 1603. It underwent improvements in the late 18th century. The gate was destroyed during the Battle of Manila in 1945 to allow the entry of American and Philippine Commonwealth tanks into the city. It was restored in 1982.
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| Puerta Santa Lucia (Pre-WWII) |
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| Puerta Santa Lucia (Restored) |
Puerta Rial
The original Real Gate (Royal Gate) was built in 1663 and was used exclusively by the Governor-General for state occasions. It was destroyed during the British invasion of 1762. The Puerta Real was rebuilt in 1780 and moved further west to its present location. During the Battle of Manila, the gate was damaged. It was restored in 1969 with additional work made in 1989.
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| Puerta Rial (Pre-WWII) |
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| Puerta Rial (Restored) |
Stamp Error
Puerta Rial is represented on the stamp but misidentified as Santa Lucia.
The Bureau of Posts withdrew the 16c stamp on July 26, 1950 due to the labeling error.
50c Colonnade of Palm Trees
The American Bank Note Co. engraver may have used a photograph of the palms on Bonafacio Drive (outside the west wall of Intramuros) as a model for the stamp.
