- published: 28 Aug 2007
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The Gates of Intramuros refer to the original gates of the Walled City of Intramuros in Manila, built during the Spanish Colonial Era in the Philippines. The gates are called by the original Spanish word for "gate", Puerta (plural: Puertas).
This gate was built in 1662 as the Governor-General's gate when the first Governor's palace was still located in Fort Santiago. It was destroyed during an earthquake and was never rebuilt.
Postigo means "postern" or a small gate in Spanish. This gate was named after the nearby Palacio del Gobernador. The first postigo was built several meters away but was walled up in 1662 when the present gate was constructed. The gate was then renovated in 1782 under the direction of military engineer Tomas Sanz. The gate leads to the palaces of the Governor-General and Archbishop of Manila. The national hero of the Philippines Jose Rizal passed through this gate from Fort Santiago to his execution at Bagumbayan field on December 30, 1896. It was damaged during the Battle of Manila in 1945 and restored in 1968. The bridge was excavated and restored from 1982-1983.