Medieval Manila: Life at the Dawn of the 20th Century

Abstract

The Spanish established the city of Manila upon similar principles used tofound medieval European cities. However, Manila by the dawn of the 20thcentury was already an antiquated and obsolete human settlement. Thispaper depicts the crude life people endured inside the city, comparableto conditions in the medieval cities of Western Europe centuries before.It will establish that Manila was underdeveloped and poorly maintaineddespite three centuries of Spanish rule. This paper explores the lifeboth of the elite and of the ordinary resident of the Walled City, focusingon the aspects of house design, the social graces, urban problems,transportation, and communication.