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.
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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.
I appreciated the place much because of the story being told by the funny tour guide.
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