Plaza Independencia Cebu 14 Nov 2015

After our visit to the Fort San Pedro, we walked pass through a square, it is the Plaza Independencia.

Plaza Independencia is strategically located between Fort San Pedro and the building that used to be the Gobierno Provincial in the downtown area of Cebu.

The plaza is a popular hangout for many living or working around the area. It is one huge garden filled with trees, ornamental plants and flowers.

There is also a public skating rink and a kiosk at the centre of the circular skating rink.

An obelisk dedicated to the memory of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the first Spanish governor-general of the Philippines, is planted at the very heart of the plaza.

The square was renamed a couple of times. In the early 1600s, it was called Plaza de Armas. When it was widened later on and expanded to reach nearby properties of the Cathedral of Cebu, it was called Plaza Mayor.

Later in the Spanish rule, it was further landscaped and developed and was christened Plaza Maria Cristina, in honour of the queen regent.

During the American colonial period, its name was changed to Plaza Libertad, as the Americans asserted how they liberated Cebuanos from the Spanish rule. Later on it finally became known as Plaza Independencia.

In a road tunnel construction project in 2006 that touched a part of the plaza and nearby areas, pre-Hispanic human bones and some earthenware were uncovered.

In 2008, some artefacts were unearthed which included gold death masks, a pair of gold earrings, a Thai bluish-green “guan” celadon, jars and other earthenware.

Plaza Independencia and some strategic parts of the downtown area of Cebu are a rich archaeological field due to its history as a pre-Hispanic settlement and trading port. Indeed, there are many secrets and stories from Plaza Independencia.

We took only few photos here, as it is just like a huge square and nothing much to stay as the hot sun really made our way to lunch faster.

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