Great Culture and Beautiful Parks of Manila
Great Culture and Beautiful Parks of Manila
Manila is one of the great cities of the world and it is also the capital of the Philippines. And while there are actually sixteen cities that make up the urban environment, Manila is the most prominent of them and is also the cultural center of the country. Together, the cities account for one of the largest metropolitan regions in the entire world and they have a total population of around twenty million people. That is extremely large by any standards. And with that there is a tremendous amount of contemporary cultural establishments and attractions as well as some extremely important traditional heritage elements.
While Manila is the largest city within its urban setting, it is actually not the largest in all of the Philippines. Quezon City, a near by neighbor is actually larger by population and geography. However, Manila has an interesting world statistic regarding its population. It is has the most condensed populous not only in the Philippines but also throughout the world. This is difficult to imagine and the best Americans can try to do is to imagine a more condensed version of New York or San Francisco.
With such an incredible large and condensed population, it is important to maintain adequate park space. And Manila has plenty of beautiful and lush parks, gardens and recreation areas. The Manila Zoo and Botanical Garden is one of the more popular parks for tourists and it is not only beautiful but also impressive in regards to its conservation and educational efforts. Other major parks in the city include the Manila Boardwalk, Mehan Garden, Rajah Sulayman Park and Paco Park. Perhaps the most famous and symbolically important park in the city is Rizal Park, with its central monument that stands tall in honor of Jose Rizal, who is the country's national hero. The Rizal Monument in the park is noticeable from a distance and stands facing the Quirino Grandstand.
Other major attractions and cultural establishments in the city include the National Museum of the Philippines. The museum was established in 1901 and serves as the official repository of natural history for the Philippines. It is located next to Rizal Park and is extremely easy to access from it. It is housed in a building that was designed by an American architect named Daniel Burnham. Manila Ocean Park is one of the favorite places to visit for tourists and it is famous for the variety of marine life and animals that are housed there. Manila is an incredibly diverse and beautiful city and it attracts people from all over the world.
