Malacañang Palace

Malacañang Palace, the official residence and office of the president of the Philippines, located in the San Miguel neighbourhood of Manila. The main building is a strikingly elegant villa in the Spanish colonial style, stretching picturesquely along the Pasig River’s northern bank. Outside are typically ornate Spanish features such as shady patios, arches, balconies, and window grilles. Inside, spectacular features—many embellished during the regime of Ferdinand Marcos—include a grand main staircase in burnished woods and a beautiful music room. The palace complex includes other buildings, such as the guesthouses and government offices, notably Kalayaan Hall, the grand 1920s executive building, which now houses a museum telling the story of past rulers.

The palace was originally built in 1750 as the private summerhouse of a Spanish aristocrat, Don Luis Rocha. It was purchased by the state in 1825, but it was not until the official home of the Spanish governor-general was destroyed in an earthquake in 1863 that it became the seat of government. It continued to house colonial governors-general when the Philippines came under U.S. control in 1898 before becoming the official residence to the Filipino presidents after the country gained full independence in the 1940s.

Continual expansion and restoration have substantially changed the palace since it became the home of the ruler. The most extensive changes, both inside and out, took place during the 1970s, when it was occupied by Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos. In 1986 when Marcos was overthown, the palace was briefly occupied by protesters. Since then, most presidents, with the exception of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, have resided in a smaller house on the grounds of the Malacañang Palace.