June 11, 2011

The Ruins - Talisay City: A landmark of timeless love

Have you been spending time lately filling up your wedding pre-nup shoot venues list?  Well, you might want to put this stunning attraction at the top and spice up your wedding memories with a less contemporary yet enthralling theme.  If you fancy on an out of the ordinary motif for your wedding prints or you are just but one bored soul who simply wants to loosen up and see something dazzling, The Ruins is but one perfect pitch for you.


Location:
The Ruins is located in Talisay City, a small city in the province of Negros Occidental in the Visayas region of the Philippines.   It sits calmly right in the middle of a vast sugarcane field away from the flurry of swarm and fumes.

Getting there:
This piece of treasure is not too thorny to hunt.  While there is no direct flight enroute to Talisay City,  there are several ways to reach the place straightforwardly.  It is just a 15-20 minutes ride from Bacolod City either by a private car or a local tricyle for hire.  If you ought to take the tricycle, take a public jeepney enroute to Brgy. Bata and get off at Bangga Pepsi or Bangga Rose Lawns Memorial Park and take the tricycle from there.  You can just simply tell the driver to take you to "The Ruins" and they will take you there with no trouble.  If you are out driving your own private transportation, you can tackle your own way via the Octagon Village in Brgy. Bata, Bacolod City and use some help on directions from some friendly locals in the neighborhood.


History:
The Ruins, as branded, possesses a melodramatic and interesting tale as to how it was built and later came out for what is known to be the most precious vestiges in the city of Talisay.
The Ruins exhibits the relics of the Mansion built in the 1900s by an affluent sugar business tycoon Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson for his Portuguese wife Maria Braga.  It was known to be the largest residential edifice ever built at that era containing some of the most luxurious furnitures, genuine porcelains, and decorative items brought in from several different countries in Asia and Europe.  The house shows off an Italian inspired architecture accentuated with a belvedere in the west that will let you watch the beauty of the sunset.  Fronting the romanesque pillared facia of the mansion is an exquisite garden of lilies and pleasant prairie wrapping an elegant 4-layered fountain.
It was also told that one of the sons of Don Mariano has supervised its overall construction ensuring that the required grade of cement and its pouring was done with extreme accuracy.  Which is why its concrete structures survived when all of its wooden fragments turned to ashes and its roof was brought down by fire onset World War II.  It was said that the mansion was torched by both guerilla fighters and USAFFE (United States Armed Force in the Far East) to preclude Japan forces in their attempt to use it as their headquarters leaving burning for 3 days.
At the present times,  the 903 square meter concrete structure turned out to become one spectacular icon right in the middle of a sugar plantation, continuously inspiring and attracting several different tourists.

The place:
From the time the Ruins was opened to public in early 2008,  continuous improvements were done to gain more attraction and draw visitors.  The garden was adorned with different kinds of ornaments and decorations that recuperate the aura of the spoiled mansion. 
The landscape was well preserved and the fine grassland was maintained to its splendor.  Lights were installed to outline the fountain and highlight the mansion during the eve making you feel as though you are in some far away wonderland.  Inside are some pictures and portraits of original owners as well as some artifacts that will let you deem of its glorious times.
A cozy coffee area fronting the everyday sunset was added inside the mansion to let visitors enjoy the breathtaking view over a cup of coffee or other light drinks made available for a fee of course.
The entire surrounding is a perfect spot for photographers, wedding pre-nups, wedding reception if the climate permits, even birthday parties and debuts, or whatever is the event, it will surely leave a lasting impression and a bucket filled with good memories.


The fee:
For you to be able to experience the Ruins, you will have to pay entrance fees.  Prices vary according to age though.

adults:   PHP 50
senior citizens:   PHP 30
kids:   PHP 20

Overall:
A truly breathtaking experience you'll surely love. A dramatic affair that will let you smell romance infront of the glitzy sunset while sipping over a hot cup of coffee. Something you don't do and see everyday.

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8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice article. We went here last december. the place is so lovely.

Riza said...

Hello,
We are planning to go visit the Ruins when we get back to the Philippines for vacation this August. Nice preview of the place and I am excited.

admin_TOL said...

Hi there,
Thank you, It is indeed lovely. It's what everybody says. It will always make you want to get back there someday soon.

Hi Riza,
Thank you. I'm sure you will love the place as much as everybody who got there did. Good luck to your trip.

Anonymous said...

Hi. Do you know a good hotel close to the Ruins? Thanks

admin_TOL said...

Hi there,
I would recommend L'Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City. It's one of the nicest hotel in the city. Outside of it there are lots of private service vehicles who offer a trip to The Ruins for a fee. You might want to try that instead of taking the route mentioned above.

Steph said...

I love this place :)

Anonymous said...

such a romantic place.

Luz said...

I went here last June. I love this place. It is so lovely especially at sunset.

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