University of Santo Tomas, Manila

One of the BEST places I visited- University of Santo Tomas, located in Sampaloc Manila. It is the First University in Asia and it was the alma mater of four of our heroes- Jose Rizal, Emilio Jacinto, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Apolinario Mabini; Philippine Presidents such as Manuel Luis Quezon, Sergio Osmeña, Jose P. Laurel and Diosdado Macapagal; various Chief Justices of the Supreme Court, senators, congressmen, and more known personage in their chosen profession.

The first UST was built in Intramuros (the walled city), but it was transferred in Sampaloc Manila when there was a continuous rise of enrollees. It now covers 21.5 hectares.

Seeing the seemingly European architecture fro the outside of the gate forced me to break the rules! We were not allowed to enter the campus and take photos during that time, but we managed to find some ways- by escaping and hiding… hehehe… not a good example though.

Here is the list of the things that one can when you visit UST:

1)Start by capturing a picture in the ARCH OF THE CENTURIES. It is located in the gate entrance along España Boulevard. This was the original entrance of the campus when it was still in Intramuros. The structure facing the school comes from the ruins of the old arch from Intramuros.

2)Don’t miss seeing the bronze Benavides Monument. It stands in front of the main building entrance. Bishop Miguel de Benavides, O.P. was the one who funded the first UST.

3)The Main building was one of the nicest place I ever saw in my whole life. I felt like I was in a different country. LOL. Anyways, the main building was the masterpiece of ENGINEER-FRIAR Fr. Roque Ruaño, O.P., he was once the dean of faculty of the Engineering division. This building was used by the Japanese military forces in World War II.

4)You can also buy some souvenirs in the Quadricentennial Square located at the back of the main building. It has a classy architecture with an interactive fountain.
5)And NEVER EVER miss visiting UST’s Museum of Arts and Sciences. It is also known as the oldest school-based museum in the Philippines. It collects the masterpieces of known artists like Fernando and Pablo Amorsolo, Carlos Francisco, Vicente Manansala, and Galo Ocampo. It also houses the Museum Gallery, souvenir shop and mini-library. Museum closes during Mondays.

ENJOY YOUR UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS VISIT!!

Let me know if there are stores or places in University of Santo Tomas that you suggest tourists to see. Leave a comment or PM me... I really want to hear what your travel experiences are. :)

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