Clockwise, from left: Pristine Paco Park;
The iconic saddle-shaped entrance of the
now derelict Philamlife Building; Manila's
newest attraction, the National Museum
of Natural History; Juan Luna’s 13-foot
tall Spoliarium, housed at the National
Museum of Fine Arts, commands attention
and invokes emotion from all who sees it
for the first time; Arthur Walsh Fergusson
glowers from his lofty pedestal amidst
museumgoers
U.N. Avenue
This station serves Ermita, the civic center of Manila. Along with Malate, it used
to be a swanky residential area for Americans and upper class Filipinos. War
changed that—commercialization rose from the destruction but, somewhere
down the line, it transformed into the infamous red-light district we know today.
While much of the business, residential and leisurely activity eventually moved to
Makati and Quezon City, you can still see traces of it in Ermita.
The old Philamlife building down the avenue remains an eye-catcher, even
though it's been closed for years. Luneta National Park (or Rizal Park) is the most
famous attraction that's close to the station, and with the reopening of the National
Museum of Natural History, the park's immediate vicinity has come back to life.
Other spaces of interest near the UN Avenue Station include the National Museum
of Fine Arts, the National Library, the Planetarium and Paco Park.
p ho t ogr a p h y Victor Burgos and Patrick Kasingsing
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