“The Ruins” – Talisay City, Negros Occidental, Philippines

 

 Look, what love can do. In India, the Taj Mahal was built  out of love. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the white marble mausoleum to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. In Talisay city, Negros Occidental, Philippines, an edifice was built also because of love. Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson built this mansion for his wife Maria Braga, a Portuguese from Macau whom he met while vacationing in Hongkong. After her death, the construction began to continue the love he bestowed to Maria.

Now, the Taj Mahal is a tourist attraction and so with the Lacson Mansion, being called “The Ruins” after it was razed by fire for three days by the USAFE, (United States Armed Forces in the Far East) guerilla fighters to prevent usage of the edifice as a Japanese headquarters. It was cleared of debris, cleaned and spruced up by its owners, the Javellanas, and opened it to the public in January 2008.  Venues after venues were held here, like weddings, birthdays, etc.

 

This concrete skeleton became a witness of venues for love and for the continuing affection of Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson for his wife in heaven.

 

grand entrance

 

 

 

 

 

souvenir shop, restaurant and toilet

 

manicured lawn and gardens

 This is the chimney of the sugar mill of the family just across the street.

When you are in Talisay City, just ask the tricycle drivers. They know where it is. In my case, I hired a tricycle and the driver knew where to pass. He made a short cut into a subdivision.

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• birthdays
• concrete skeleton
• Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson
• heaven
• Hongkong
• Japanese
• Javellana
• Macao
• mansion
• Maria Braga
• Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
• Mumtaz Mahal
• Negros Occidental
• Portuguese
• Taj Mahal
• Talisay city
• The Ruins
• USAFE
• weddings