Paco Park is spread over an area of 4,000 square metres in the eponymous Manila district along General Luna Street and Padre Faura Street. Once on this territory there was a large municipal cemetery, where the rich and influential Spaniards who lived in the ancient region of Intramuros were buried. In 1822, victims of the cholera epidemic that swept through the city were also buried here. The cemetery was in the shape of a circle, within which there was a circular fortification with niches in which to place the remains of the dead. As the population grew, a second outer wall with niches was built, and the tops of these walls were turned into walking paths. A Roman Catholic chapel dedicated to Saint Pacratius was also built on the cemetery grounds. In 1896, Philippine national hero Jose Rizal, who was executed in Bagumbayan, was buried here.
In 1912, burials within the cemetery were discontinued. Many descendants of those who were buried here moved the remains of their relatives to other cemeteries. During World War II, the Japanese occupying Manila, used the area as an ammunition depot. The high walls of adobe adobe walls were the perfect hiding place for them. Before the legendary Battle of Manila in 1945, the Japanese dug several trenches here and built covered gun emplacements that housed 75mm guns to protect the fortifications.
In 1966, during the administration of President Diosdado Macapagal, the area was turned into a national park. Gradually, the park “erased” the traces of the war years and became more and more beautiful and lush - today it is one of the favorite places of the residents of Manila. You can always find couples in love here, seeking seeking solitude on park benches and in gazebos. What's more, the former cemetery has become a popular venue for weddings and other celebrations. On Fridays in the on Fridays, the park hosts a musical show, "Paco Park Presents," which features local and guest musical groups and choral ensembles performing classical and traditional Filipino music.
