2. a military defense structure, built by Spanish and
indigenous Cebuano laborers under the command
of Spanish colonizer, Miguel López de Legazpi
Recorded as the smallest, oldest triangular bastion
fort in the country, built to repel Muslim raiders
FORT SAN PEDRO (FUERZA DE SAN PEDRO)
4. Before it became a fort, it was first a settlement which
served as a base of operations in the Philippines from
1565 until Miguel López de Legazpi moved to Manila in
1569
became a part of the American Warwick Barracks during
the American Regime
In later years from 1937 to 1941 the barracks was
converted into a school where many Cebuanos received
their formal education
During World War II from 1942 to 1945, Japanese residents
of the City took refuge within the walls
TIMELINE
5. When the battle to liberate the City of Cebu from the
Imperial Japanese forces was fought, the fort served as
an emergency hospital for the wounded
From 1946 to 1950, Fort San Pedro was an army camp.
After 1950, the Cebu Garden Club took over and fixed the
inner part and converted it into a miniature garden
Although already in ruins, the upper deck was utilized for
different offices. First, as a clinic of the City Health, as
office of the Presidential Arm and Community
Development then the City Public Works Unit used the
ruins of the Lieutenant's Quarters as its field office
TIMELINE
6. In 1957 Mayor Sergio Osmeña Jr. jolted the public with his
announcement to demolish Fort San Pedro and erect on
the spot a new City Hall. This started a movement against
the demolition idea. Articles voicing opposition appeared
in the local dailies and magazines in Cebu City and in
Manila. Finally, confronted by civic leaders and society
heads at his Cebu City Hall office, he gave up his idea and
said he will use instead the space behind the fort
By 1968, the facade, quarters and walls of the original
structures of Fort San Pedro were so obliterated that only
the two towers were recognizable. Plans for the
restoration of the fort was started and the zoo was
relocated
TIMELINE
7. Plans and estimates for the restoration of the fort were
completed by Architect Leonardo Concepcion, who had
completed his MA in Restoration in Madrid. The project
was jointly funded by the Board of Travel Industry (now
Department of Tourism), the Cebu City Government, and
the Cebu Zonta Club
The Fort San Pedro Restoration was a tedious, time and
labor consuming project. To restore the fort as close to
the original as possible, coral stones which were hauled
from under the sea along Cebu coastal towns were
utilized. Delivered crudely cut to the restoration site, the
fort laborers did the final cutting and polishing to make
the blocks fit each other
TIMELINE
8. Work progressed slowly but the facade, the main building,
(Cuerpo de Guardia), the walk and the observatory roof
garden were faithfully restored after one and a half years
To make the project functional; the restored main building
serves then as the Cebu Office of the Department of
Tourism, the Lieutenant's Quarters now houses a museum,
the inner court is an open air theater and its immediate
vicinity as a park
TIMELINE
9. At present, it is under the care and administration of the
City of Cebu, as historical park. The land on which it is
situated is, however, owned by the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources
These days, part of the fort is a museum. Inside the fort
houses the legacies of the Spanish Government.
TIMELINE
10. Was first
made of wood
The date of
construction
of the stone
fort is
uncertain
STRUCTURE AND ARCHITECTURE
11. triangular in shape, with two sides facing the
sea and the third side fronting the land
It has a total inside area of 2,025 square
meters
The walls are 20 feet (6.1 m) high, 8 feet (2.4
m) thick and the towers are 30 feet (9.1 m)
high from the ground level
The circumference is 1,248 feet (380 m)
STRUCTURE AND ARCHITECTURE
12. PLAN
STRUCTURE AND ARCHITECTURE
LEGEND:
A-Cuerpo de Guardia
B- Viviendo del Teniente
C-Almazaros del Rivera
D- Pezo
E- Mana para los Golas
F-Almazaros del Polvora
3 Bastions
- La Concepción (SW)
- Ignacio de Loyola (SE)
- San Miguel (NE)
La Concepción
Ignacio de Loyola
San Miguel
