Love, Loss and Remorse of Talisay Ruins

Talisay Ruins is one of the must - visit in the province of Negros Occidental, for reasons more than just looking magnificent. It's the history of Talisay Ruins that adds a soul to its grandeur: a soul that is filled with love, loss, remorse, and love again. An example of how deeply a man loved his wife, that even after she remained but a memory, he made sure that this memory would never fade away. This man is Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson, who was head-over-heels in love with her Portugese wife, Maria Braga. This mansion was built solely for Maria.

The Talisay Mansion was built in the 1900’s and the largest residential structure ever built. Don Mariano made sure that the mansion was filled only with imported luxurious furniture, chinaware and other decorative items that brought from travelling around the world.

On the portrait : Don Mariano Ledesma and his wife, Maria Braga

The Mansion’s structure resembles that of the Italian architecture with neoclassical columns which was enchanced by a belvedere complete with renaissance – type balustrading typical of the homes of English ship captains. Imported lilies filled the garden and around the four – tired fountain on the mansion’s front lawn.The facade of the mansion is comparable to the ones in Carnegie Hall. The belvedere facing west enables one to view the beautiful sunset through the bay window.

 

When the World War II broke out, the guerrillas burned down the mansion to prevent the Japanese from occupying the area. The fire lasted for three days defeating the mansion’s woodwork and bringing down its roof but leaving behind the concrete structure that still stands to this day. This magnificent 903 square meter skeleton structure is one of the favorite tourist destinations over the Negros.