Fort Pilar

The Royal Fort of the Virgin Mary on the Column of Zaragoza (commonly known as Fort Pilar) is a military defensive fortress built by Spanish colonial rule in the XVII century in the city of Zanboanga in the Philippines. The fort now houses the National Museum of the Philippines. The building itself is included in the list of the most beloved and famous sights of the city, its cultural heritage. Behind the eastern wall of the fort is the sanctuary of Marianne (Holy Virgin Mary), the patroness of the city.

Fort Pilar during its long turbulent history has repeatedly changed hands, experienced many sieges, captures and destruction. The last dramatic events in the fort unfolded during World War II, when the fort was first captured by the Japanese in 1942 and then retaken by US and Philippine forces in 1945. Needless to say, all these events negatively affected its integrity.

In the early 1980s, a global reconstruction of the fort began under the auspices of the National Museum of the Philippines. All parts of the fort have been rebuilt and are functioning, except for the south. The museum exhibits contemporary Filipino art. There are several beautiful gardens outside the fort.