History of the Philippines (1521–1898)
The history of the Philippines from 1521 to 1898, also known as the Spanish colonial period, was a period during which Spain controlled the Philippine islands as the Captaincy General of the Philippines, initially under New Spain until Mexican independence in 1821, which gave Madrid direct control over the area. It was also known as Spanish East Indies to the colonialists. It started with the arrival in 1521 of European explorer Ferdinand Magellan sailing for Spain, which heralded the period when the Philippines was a colony of the Spanish Empire, and ended with the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution in 1898, which marked the beginning of the American colonial era of Philippine history.
Spanish Colonial Fortifications of the Philippines
The Spanish Colonial Fortifications of the Philippines are strongholds constructed by Filipinos and Spanish under the rule of the Spaniards in the Philippines for protection against local and foreign aggressors during the Spanish Colonial Period. The fortifications were also used during the American and Japanese occupation eras. Many of the fortifications have been bady damaged, either due to old age or conflicts in the past. Currently, there has been initiatives to restore all Spanish fortifications throughout the Philippines. The initiative began when the Baluarte Luna of La Union and the Intramuros of Manila were restored in the 2010's. In 2013, a typhoon and earthquake hit Central Visayas and damaged numerous Spanish fortifications. This led to the largest restoration activity for fortifications in Philippine history.