1899: Harrison Plaza and Manila Zoo used to be cemeteries

Thanks to modernization, some sacred burial grounds had to be wiped out to be replaced by commercial buildings. Such is the case with an old cemetery located south west of an area once known as Fort San Antonio Abad in Malate, Manila. The area is now occupied by the Harrison Plaza, also known as the country’s first modern mall.

But Harrison Plaza is not the only one that lies above former burial grounds. Another area in Malate, the Remedios Circle, was actually one of Manila’s earliest cemeteries. However, it closed down after WWII, and all the remains were transferred to the South Cemetery. The incident happened after the Catholic Church agreed to surrender the cemetery to the government in exchange of a road leading to a new church across the Manila Zoo.