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56-723: The Arch of the Centuries prominently stands at the center of the Plaza Intramuros. The arch was the main doorway to the university when the campus was still in Intramuros from 1680 to 1941. The central lower section of the original facade was transferred piece by piece and reconstructed in the Manila campus in 1954. It is flanked by the Fountain of Wisdom and the Philippine flagpole to its west, and

112-734: A building in which his life would end..." The 1st Cavalry Division reached Manila Bay on 12 February, but it was not until 18 February that they took Rizal Stadium , which the Japanese had turned into an ammunition dump , and Fort San Antonio Abad . On 17 February, the 148th Regiment took the Philippine General Hospital , freeing 7,000 civilians, the University of the Philippines Padre Faura campus, and Assumption College San Lorenzo 's original Herran-Dakota campus. Iwabuchi

168-583: A frustrated Yamashita's attempts at confronting the Americans with a concerted, unified defense. Iwabuchi had 12,500 men under his command, designated the Manila Naval Defence Force, augmented by 4,500 army personnel under Col. Katsuzo Noguchi and Capt. Saburo Abe. They built defensive positions in the city, including Intramuros , cut down the palm trees on Dewey Blvd. to form a runway, and set up barricades across major streets. Iwabuchi formed

224-471: A sculpture of a lady standing on top of a lotus flower while holding a bible. The bible's cover depicts the image of the Lamb of God . The lotus flower bowl is carried by four phoenixes . It is surrounded by four deers and open shells. The fountain also features a sculpture of a lady on top of a lotus flower while holding a globe. The lady stands on a cylindrical pedestal adorned by the early disciplines offered in

280-502: A student’s debarment. In 2015, Pope Francis passed through the arch during his visit to the university. Battle of Manila (1945) Allied victory [REDACTED]   United States [REDACTED]   Japan Luzon Mindanao Naval operations The Battle of Manila ( Filipino : Labanan sa Maynila ; Japanese : マニラの戦い , romanized :  Manira no Tatakai ; Spanish : Batalla de Manila ; 3 February  – 3 March 1945)

336-547: A successful breakout in early January 1945. Capt. Manuel Colayco, a USAFFE guerrilla officer, became an allied casualty of the city's liberation, after he and his companion, Lt. Diosdado Guytingco, guided the American First Cavalry to the front gate of Santo Tomas. Struck by Japanese bullets, Colayco died seven days later in Legarda Elementary School, which became a field hospital. At 9 PM, five tanks of

392-402: A torch in her left hand, while her right arm rests on a winged wheel . These two figures correspond to the two fountains on both sides of the arch, the Fountain of Divine Wisdom and the Fountain of Human Wisdom (Fountain of Knowledge). The replica of the façade, the statues, and the bas-relief panels were also done by Carmelo Flavier Pablo. Directly above the arch is the main inscription, which

448-564: Is a triumphal arch at the Plaza Intramuros of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila , Philippines . Half of the current structure, the side facing the UST Main Building is the ruins of the 17th-century arch door of the first UST campus in Intramuros , while the side that faces España Boulevard is a replica inaugurated in 1954. It was declared as a National Cultural Treasure by

504-552: Is different on both sides. Flanking the main inscriptions are four bas-relief panels depicting the life of Thomas Aquinas. Below the main inscription is a coat of arms that features a double-headed eagle. The coat of arms is similar to the one used by Charles I , the King of Spain when the Philippines was discovered. The main façade consists of two columns on each side of the archway. The columns are of Doric order . The spandrels of

560-742: Is unknown. The net result would be the same: Intramuros would be practically razed." "That the artillery had almost razed the ancient Walled City could not be helped. To the XIV Corps and the 37th Division at this state of the battle for Manila, American lives were understandably far more valuable than historic landmarks. The destruction stemmed from the American decision to save lives in a battle against Japanese troops who had decided to sacrifice their lives as dearly as possible." American artillery and military operations, according to one estimate, may have caused 40 percent of total non-combatant Filipino deaths during

616-533: The National Museum on 25 January 2010. One of the cultural icons of the University of Santo Tomas, it is often the site of important campus events. The Thomasian Welcome Walk is UST's tradition of welcoming the freshmen by passing through the arch. The passing through happens once more after the baccalaureate mass when the graduating class exits through the arch, signifying the completion of their student life in

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672-516: The 148th Regiment to cross the Pasig River and clear Paco and Pandacan . The bitterest fighting for Manila – which proved costliest to the 129th Regiment – was in capturing the steam-driven power plant on Provisor Island, where the Japanese held out until 11 February. By the afternoon of 8 February, 37th Division units had cleared most of the Japanese from their sector, but the residential districts were damaged extensively. The Japanese added to

728-547: The 1st Cavalry Division , under the command of Major Gen. Vernon D. Mudge, was ordered by MacArthur on 31 January, to "Get to Manila! Free the internees at Santo Tomas. Take Malacanang Palace and the Legislative Building ." On 31 January, the Eighth United States Army of Lt. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger , including the 187th and 188th Glider Infantry Regiments of Col. Robert H. Soule , and components of

784-696: The Arch of the Centuries . He was then escorted to a nearby papal chair to sign on the UST guestbook. During the Paskuhan 2022, the Arch of the Centuries and the two fountains were lit with Philippine superhero-inspired lights. 14°36′30″N 120°59′27″E  /  14.6084°N 120.9908°E  / 14.6084; 120.9908 Arch of the Centuries The Arch of the Centuries ( Filipino : Arko ng mga Siglo )

840-594: The Manila massacre and from artillery and aerial bombardment by U.S. and Japanese forces. 16,665 Japanese dead were counted within Intramuros alone. The following months, the 6th Army and Philippine guerrillas shifted towards east of Manila to confront the Shimbu Group in mountain warfare in the Battle of Wawa Dam , and secure Manila's water sources. In 1946, General Yamashita was executed for war crimes committed during

896-507: The Pacific theater . During the battle, Japanese forces committed mass murder against Filipino civilians, while American firepower killed many people. The resistance of the Japanese and American artillery also destroyed much of Manila's architectural and cultural heritage dating back to the city's founding. Often referred to as "the Stalingrad of Asia", the battle is widely considered to be one of

952-591: The 37th and the 1st Cavalry Divisions, no further effort could be made to save buildings, everything holding up progress would be pounded." Iwabuchi's sailors, marines, and Army reinforcements, having initially had some success resisting American infantrymen armed with flamethrowers , grenades and bazookas , soon faced direct fire from tanks, tank destroyers, and howitzers , which blasted holes in one building after another, often killing both Japanese and civilians trapped inside, without differentiation. Subjected to incessant pounding and facing certain death or capture,

1008-528: The 44th Tank Battalion, headed by "Battlin' Basic", headed into the compound. The Japanese, commanded by Lt. Col. Toshio Hayashi, gathered the remaining internees together in the Education Building as hostages, and exchanged pot shots with the Americans and Filipinos. The next day, 5 February, they negotiated with the Americans to allow them to rejoin Japanese troops to the south of the city, carrying only individual small arms. The Japanese were unaware

1064-919: The Agricultural Building by 1 March, and the 148th Regiment took the Legislative Building on 28 Feb. and the Finance Building by 3 March. Army Historian Robert R. Smith wrote: "Griswold and Beightler were not willing to attempt the assault with infantry alone. Not expressly enjoined from employing artillery, they now planned a massive artillery preparation that would last from 17 to 23 February and would include indirect fire at ranges up to 8,000 yards as well as direct, point-blank fire from ranges as short as 250 yards. They would employ all available corps and division artillery, from 240mm howitzers down. (...) Just how civilian lives could be saved by this type of preparation, as opposed to aerial bombardment,

1120-458: The East." For the rest of the month the Americans and Filipino guerrillas mopped up resistance throughout the city. With Intramuros secured on 4 March, Manila was officially liberated, albeit completely destroyed with large areas levelled by American bombing. The battle left 1,010 U.S. soldiers dead and 5,565 wounded. At least 100,000 Filipinos civilians were killed, both deliberately by the Japanese in

1176-472: The Fountain of Knowledge and the UST flagpole to its east. A university marker made of marble was unveiled in 2010. It features the name of the university and the foundation year. A time capsule was placed inside it after the baccalaureate mass in 2011. It contains the names of the class of 2011, the P200 UST commemorative bill, commemorative coins, other quadricentennial souvenir items, and news articles. Before

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1232-641: The Northern Force under Noguchi, and the Southern Force under Capt. Takusue Furuse. Iwabuchi had been in command of the battleship Kirishima when she was sunk by a US Navy task force off Guadalcanal in 1942, a blot on his honor which may have inspired his determination to fight to the death. Before the battle began, he issued an address to his men: We are very glad and grateful for the opportunity of being able to serve our country in this epic battle. Now, with what strength remains, we will daringly engage

1288-535: The Philippines. The statue of Thomas Aquinas above the attic story was inaugurated on 21 December 1955. The saint is portrayed as a young and energetic man seated on a chair. This depiction of Thomas Aquinas is similar to the painting by Justus van Gent and Pedro Berruguete . Two female figures flank the Thomas Aquinas statue. The female facing west holds a cross in her right hand and an admiralty pattern anchor in her left hand. The female facing east holds

1344-530: The Philippines. Yamashita planned to engage Filipino and U.S. forces in northern Luzon in a co-ordinated campaign, with the aim of buying time for the build-up of defenses against the pending Allied invasion of the Japanese home islands . He had three main groups under his command: 80,000 men of the Shimbu Group in the mountains east of Manila, 30,000 of the Kembu Group in the hills north of Manila, and 152,000 in

1400-590: The Quezon and Parian Gates , and the 129th crossing the Pasig River, then attacking near the location of the Government Mint. The fighting for Intramuros continued until 26 February. On 23 February, the Japanese released about 3,000 civilians held as hostages, after killing most of the men in the group. Colonel Noguchi's soldiers and sailors killed 1,000 men and women. Iwabuchi and his officers committed suicide at dawn on 26 February. The 5th Cavalry Regiment took

1456-567: The Shobu Group in northeastern Luzon. General Yamashita did not declare Manila an open city , although General Douglas MacArthur had done so before its capture in 1941. Yamashita had not intended to defend Manila; he did not think that he could feed the city's one million residents and defend a large area with vast tracts of flammable wooden buildings. Yamashita did order the commander of Shimbu Group, Gen. Shizuo Yokoyama , to destroy all bridges and other vital installations and then evacuate

1512-518: The U.S. 11th Airborne Division under Maj. Gen. Joseph Swing , landed unopposed at Nasugbu in southern Luzon and began moving north toward Manila. Meanwhile, the 11th A/B Division's 511th Regimental Combat Team, commanded by Col. Orin D. "Hard Rock" Haugen , parachuted onto Tagaytay Ridge on 4 February. On 10 February, the 11th Airborne Division came under the command of the Sixth Army, and seized Fort William McKinley on 17 February Swing

1568-422: The arch. The words underneath it read, Gateway to the history of the finest breed of Filipinos , a reference to the UST alumni . Freshmen pass under the arch as part of the welcoming rites to the university. Candidates for graduation also pass through under the arch during a parade after their baccalaureate Mass. There is an urban legend that claims prematurely exiting the arch before graduation would lead to

1624-410: The archway consists of Baroque reliefs. The main inscription on the south (front) attic reads: The main inscription at the north (back) attic reads: On the left pier facing España Boulevard is a commemorative plaque honoring José Rizal , and on the right pier is a plaque honoring Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon . The bronze marker on the side of the left pier tells the history of

1680-455: The area they requested, was the now American-occupied Malacañang Palace , and soon afterwards were fired upon and several were killed, including Hayashi. On 4 February, the 37th Infantry Division freed more than 1,000 prisoners of war , mostly former defenders of Bataan and Corregidor , held at Bilibid Prison , which had been abandoned by the Japanese. Early on 6 February, General MacArthur announced that "Manila had fallen"; in fact,

1736-564: The battle for Manila had barely begun. Almost at once the 1st Cavalry Division in the north and the 11th Airborne Division in the south reported stiffening Japanese resistance to further advances into the city. General Oscar Griswold continued to push elements of the XIV Corps south from Santo Tomas University toward the Pasig River . Late on the afternoon on 4 February, he ordered the 2nd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment , to seize Quezon Bridge ,

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1792-455: The battle. Before the fighting ended, MacArthur summoned a provisional assembly of prominent Filipinos to Malacañang Palace and in their presence declared the Commonwealth of the Philippines to be permanently reestablished. "My country kept the faith," he told the gathered assembly. "Your capital city, cruelly punished though it be, has regained its rightful place—citadel of democracy in

1848-442: The battle. The battle for Manila was the first and fiercest urban fighting fought by American forces in the entire Pacific War . Few battles in the closing months of World War II exceeded the destruction and the brutality of the massacres and savagery of the fighting in Manila. In Manila's business district only two buildings were not damaged and those two were looted of their plumbing. A steel flagpole still stands today at

1904-521: The battle. It is also known as the Memorare Manila Monument and is located at Plaza de Santa Isabel in Intramuros . The inscription for the memorial was penned by National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin and reads: "This memorial is dedicated to all those innocent victims of war, many of whom went nameless and unknown to a common grave, or even never knew a grave at all, their bodies having been consumed by fire or crushed to dust beneath

1960-634: The beleaguered Japanese troops took out their anger and frustration on the civilians caught in the crossfire, committing multiple acts of severe brutality, which later would be known as the Manila Massacre . Violent mutilations, rapes, and massacres of the populace accompanied the battle for control of the city. Massacres occurred in schools, hospitals and convents, including San Juan de Dios Hospital , Santa Rosa College , Santo Domingo Church , Manila Cathedral , Paco Church , St. Paul's Convent, and St. Vincent de Paul Church. Dr Antonio Gisbert told of

2016-644: The buildings damaged during the war were demolished after the Liberation, as part of rebuilding Manila, replacing European style architecture from the Spanish and early American era with modern American style architecture. Only a few old buildings remain intact. On 18 February 1995, the Memorare-Manila 1945 Foundation dedicated a memorial called the Shrine of Freedom to honor the memory of the over 100,000 civilians killed in

2072-524: The campaign to liberate the islands. It is, to date, the last battle fought within Manila . On 9 January 1945, the Sixth U.S. Army under Lt. Gen. Walter Krueger waded ashore at Lingayen Gulf and began a rapid drive south in the Battle of Luzon . On 12 January, MacArthur ordered Krueger to advance rapidly to Manila. The 37th Infantry Division , under the command of Major Gen. Robert S. Beightler , headed south. After landing at San Fabian on 27 January,

2128-585: The city as soon as any large American forces made their appearance. However, Rear Admiral Sanji Iwabuchi , commander of the Imperial Japanese Navy 's 31st Naval Special Base Force, was determined to fight a last-ditch battle in Manila, and, though nominally part of the Shimbu Army Group, repeatedly ignored Army orders to withdraw from the city. The naval staff in Japan agreed to Iwabuchi's scheme, eroding

2184-463: The destruction by demolishing buildings and military installations as they withdrew. Japanese resistance in Tondo and Malabon continued until 9 February. Trying to protect the city and its civilians, MacArthur had stringently restricted U.S. artillery and air support, but by 9 February, American shelling had set fire to a number of districts. "If the city were to be secured without the destruction of

2240-517: The enemy. Banzai to the Emperor! We are determined to fight to the last man. On 3 February, elements of the 1st Cavalry Division under Maj. Gen. Verne D. Mudge pushed into the northern outskirts of Manila and seized a vital bridge across the Tullahan River , which separated them from the city proper, and quickly captured Malacanang Palace. A squadron of Brig. Gen. William C. Chase 's 8th Cavalry ,

2296-517: The entrance to the old U.S. Embassy building in Ermita, pockmarked by numerous bullet and shrapnel hits, a testament to the intense, bitter fighting for the walled city. Filipinos lost an irreplaceable cultural and historical treasure in the resulting carnage and devastation of Manila, remembered today as a national tragedy. Countless government buildings, universities and colleges, convents, monasteries and churches, and their accompanying treasures dating to

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2352-461: The first Benavides Statue, which was located at Calle Postigo and Calle de Santo Tomas . The Battle of Manila in 1945 left the 17th-century campus completely destroyed. In 1953, UST rector Jesus Castañon ordered that the arch door, one of the few structures that survived, be transferred to the Sampaloc campus. Carmelo Flavier Pablo of C.F. Pablo and Son, a precast contractor, was hired to dismantle

2408-616: The first unit to arrive in the city, began a drive toward the sprawling campus of the University of Santo Tomas , which had been turned into the Santo Tomas Internment Camp for civilians and the US Army and Navy nurses sometimes known as the " Angels of Bataan ". For 37 months since 4 January 1942, the university's main building had been used to hold civilians. Out of 4,255 prisoners, 466 died in captivity, three were killed while attempting to escape on 15 February 1942, and one made

2464-461: The founding of the city, were ruined. The cultural patrimony (including art, literature, and especially architecture) of the Orient's first truly international melting pot – the confluence of Spanish, American and Asian cultures – was eviscerated. Manila, once touted as the "Pearl of the Orient" and famed as a living monument to the meeting of Asian and European cultures, was virtually wiped out. Most of

2520-434: The most intense and worst urban battles ever fought, with it being the single largest urban battle ever fought by American forces. Manila became one of the most devastated capital cities during the entire war, alongside Berlin and Warsaw . The battle ended the almost three years of Japanese military occupation in the Philippines (1942–1945). The city's capture was marked as General Douglas MacArthur 's key to victory in

2576-671: The murder of his father and brother at the Palacio del Gobernador, saying, "I am one of those few survivors, not more than 50 in all out of more than 3,000 men herded into Fort Santiago and, two days later, massacred." The Japanese forced Filipino women and children to be used as human shields into the front lines to protect Japanese positions. Those who survived were then murdered by the Japanese. By 12 February Iwabuchi's artillery and heavy mortars had been destroyed, and with no plan for withdrawal or regrouping, "each man had his meager supply of rations, barely sufficient arms and ammunition, and

2632-510: The night of 19 February, and the Manila Hotel was liberated on 22 February, where MacArthur found his penthouse in ashes. Only Intramuros, plus the Legislative, Finance, and Agricultural Buildings, remained in Japanese hands. The assault on Intramuros started at 07:30 on 23 February, with a 140 gun artillery barrage, followed by the 148th attacking through breaches made in the walls between

2688-530: The northern section of the city into two sectors, with the 37th responsible for advancing to the south, and the 1st Cavalry Division responsible for an envelopment to the east. The Americans secured the northern bank of the Pasig River by 6 February, and had captured the city's water supply at the Novaliches Dam, Balara Water Filters , and the San Juan Reservoir. On 7 February, Gen. Beightler ordered

2744-500: The only crossing over the Pasig that the Japanese had not destroyed. As the squadron approached the bridge, Japanese heavy machine guns opened fire from a formidable roadblock thrown up across Quezon Boulevard , forcing the cavalry to stop its advance and withdraw until nightfall. As the Americans and Filipinos pulled back, the Japanese blew up the bridge. On 5 February, the 37th Infantry Division began to move into Manila, and Griswold divided

2800-535: The ruins piece by piece and transport them to the present campus. The structure took the contractor a year to complete. It was finished and inaugurated in 1954 and became formally known as the Arch of the Centuries. On 25 January 2010, it was declared a National Cultural Treasure , along with the UST Main Building , the Central Seminary Building, and the university field by the National Museum of

2856-416: The university marker was constructed in 2010, UST did not have a sign on its entrance or in any of the buildings inside the campus. Also, the previous university seal only had the light blue shield and UST's symbols, and did not include any text. The Arch of the Centuries served as UST's signage. Also called the Fountain of Divine Wisdom, it consists of a barbed quatrefoil-shaped basin. The fountain features

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2912-557: The university, namely the Caduceus for medicine, the Balance Scale for law, the Bowl of Hygieia for pharmacy, the ionic order for architecture, the atom for the sciences, and the total station and tripod for engineering. The lotus flower bowl is carried by four sphinxes . It is surrounded by four owls of Athena and open shells. In 2015, Pope Francis entered the UST campus through

2968-522: The university. The north side of the present-day Arch of the Centuries served as the arch door portal to the university when it was still in the walled city of Intramuros . The university's oldest floor plan, created by Juan Peguero, the procurator of the Dominican Province of the Philippines from 1675 to 1677 and from 1680 to 1684, designates the arch door as the Puerta del Colegio . The arch door faced

3024-654: Was a major battle of the Philippine campaign of 1944–45 , during the Second World War . It was fought by forces from both the United States and the Philippines against Japanese troops in Manila , the capital city of the Philippines. The month-long battle, which resulted in the death of at least 100,000 civilians and the complete devastation of the city, was the scene of the worst urban fighting fought by American forces in

3080-564: Was joined by the Hunters ROTC Filipino guerrillas , under the command of Lt. Col. Emmanuel V. de Ocampo, and by 5 February, they were on the outskirts of Manila. As the Americans converged on Manila from different directions, they found that most of the Imperial Japanese Army troops defending the city had been withdrawn to Baguio , on the orders of General Tomoyuki Yamashita , commander in chief of Japanese Army forces in

3136-666: Was ordered by Gen. Shizuo Yokoyama, commander of the Shimbu Group, to break out of Manila on the night of 17–18 February, in coordination with counter-attacks on Novaliches Dam and Grace Park. The breakout failed and Iwabuchi's remaining 6,000 men were trapped in Manila. By 20 February, the New Police Station, St. Vincent de Paul Church, San Pablo Church, the Manila Club, City Hall and the General Post Office were in American hands. The Japanese retreated into Intramuros on

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