The Ruins, Talisay City: A Gem from the Rubble
September 16, 2008 by Negros Occidental
The Ruins showcases what is left of the Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson Ancestral Home in Talisay City, Negros Occidental. During its heyday, the mansion was the largest residential structure ever built. It boasted of its garden of lilies in and around the four-tiered fountain on the mansion’s front lawn and the finest furniture, chinaware and decorative items that its owners brought from their travels across Europe and Asia.
The mansion dates back to the 1900s when it was built by the sugar baron, Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson for his first wife, Maria Braga, a Portuguese from Macau whom he met in his vacations in Hongkong. The mansion’s structure is of Italianate architecture enhanced by a belvedere complete with renaissance-type ballustrading typical of the homes of English ship captains.
One of Don Mariano’s sons supervised the construction of the mansion making certain that the A-grade mixture of concrete and its pouring mixture was precisely followed. Thus perhaps, the marble-smooth finished walls’ sturdy response to the damage caused by fire when the mansion was torched during World War II by the USAFFE (United States Armed Forces in the Far East), then guerilla fighters in the Philippines, to prevent the Japanese Forces from utilizing it as their headquarters. The fire lasted for three days annihilating the mansion’s woodwork and bringing down its roof but the concrete structure was able to survive and persist.
Today, the 903 square meter skeletal structure stand proud, amazing local and foreign tourists. From the time that it was opened to the public in January 2008, it has become a favorite venue for wedding receptions, debuts and birthday parties (the rains could really be a downer, though). For a minimal fee of PHP25.00, one could take pictures around the mansion. Its owners, the Javellanas, are continually adding improvements in the place, even setting up a cafe which serves light drinks and snacks (for a fee, or course. And they are going to add some exciting stuff in their menu in the months to come.)
For me, the Ruins is best enjoyed during dusk. What better way than to slowly sip a good cup of coffee (best if spiked) while taking in the beauty of the sunset. The drama! If you stay a little more, you can catch the mansion in its mystic glow bathe with lights and over.
[Gallery not found]How to get there:
By private car, you can take the access road beside the Honda Cars Showroom in Talisay City. It’s a three kilometer ride on the pockmarked road (which, makes getting there all the more worth the trip, LOL!). An alternate (and quicker) route is also available through the Octagon Village in Brgy. Bata, Bacolod City. You may call 0917-8326003 for directions or you can brave your way through the village and ask residents for directions.
If you are commuting, you can hire a tricycle, either at Bangga Pepsi or at Bangga Rose Lawns (Memorial Park) and tell the driver to take you to the Ruins. If they don’t know what you are talking about, you can describe the haunted structure of the place, I’m sure, they’ve heard of it. If not, you can tell the driver you are going to the simborio. If unknown still, better call the number above for directions.
Text by Roxie Yap
Photos by Tony Manso
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Yes, the management should address the complaint in order to correct it. I beg to disagree with some points you raised in your comment Edwin. It will be unfair on the part of the owner if we judge them by the attitude of their staff.
may post ka gali about sini? now ko lang nakita sang nagsearch ko about “ruins talisay”. Grabe, top 1 sa serps. hehe.
actually, kadamu ko na ni nakita ang picture sa ruins. pero wala ko kabalo nga ari lang ni gali sa talisay. toinks…
gusto ko gid da makakadto…
Another great landmark for the whole province of Negros Occidental.
Yes, Alvin, The Ruins is another cultural landmark of Negros Occidental in addition to the well known houses of Silay City. We all should appreciate and preserve these landmarks.
“..Filamer Christian College had a field Trip on Bacolod Last Feb 16 and Ruins is one of the place we visited….The Ruins is so Beautiful historical landmark in NegrOs specifically in Silay”…Im so amaze its architecture like the stairs, entrance door..mostly especially the fountain.” we should preserve the Ruins…
We’re glad you liked the Ruins. Now that it has become a major tourist destination in Negros, it will surely be preserved by the owners.
Madamo nga salamat sa information. We will be visiting Bacolod in a few months time and we will surely visit the Ruins in Talisay to see this work of art that a lot of people are talking about.