University of Santo Tomas

The University of Santo Tomas was founded by the Dominicans in 1611, which makes it the oldest existing university in Asia and older than any in the United States. It moved from Intramuros to its present Sampaloc campus in the 1920s, and the buildings from that move are what visitors come to see: the Main Building, an enormous 1927 structure that was the first earthquake-resistant building in the country, the Arch of the Centuries at the España gate, assembled from the old Intramuros portal, and the Central Seminary and Santísimo Rosario church. The UST Museum of Arts and Sciences, one of the oldest museums in the Philippines, holds natural history collections, ethnographic material and Philippine art. The campus is a working university with security at the gates, so casual wandering is limited and visits are best made with a purpose - the museum, an event, or a booked tour.

History

Miguel de Benavides, the third archbishop of Manila, died on 26 July 1605 and left his library and property worth 1,500 pesos to found a college. Permission was asked of King Philip III in 1609, and the university was founded on 28 April 1611 near the Dominican church in Intramuros; faculties of canon and civil law followed a royal decree of 1733 and a papal bull of 1734, Charles III granted the title Royal in 1785, and Leo XIII made it a pontifical university in 1902 (Wikipedia, University of Santo Tomas).

Highlights

• The Arch of the Centuries - the old Intramuros gate at España.
• The Main Building - the 1927 block, built to withstand earthquakes.
• The UST Museum - natural history, ethnography and art.
• The campus church - Santísimo Rosario and the seminary.

When to go

Term time to see the campus in use; the university is quiet during breaks. The museum keeps limited hours - check before going.

Good to know

This is a functioning university with controlled access - visitors register and roaming is restricted. Museum admission is separate and hours are limited. Traffic on España is heavy.

Nearby

Quiapo Church and the Manila Metropolitan Theater are south; Intramuros is beyond.

Key facts