Development of Manila after Its Founding

Timeline

1. 1590–1595Walled City (Intramuros) · PhilippinesThe Spanish colonial authorities expanded churches, monasteries, and administrative buildings in the walled city at the mouth of the Pasig River; stone structures such as San Agustin Church were completed, and the Catholic Church accelerated missionary work throughout Luzon, making Manila the religious and administrative center of Spanish East Asia.
2. 1592–1598Parián · PhilippinesChinese merchants from Fujian and Guangdong settled in the Parián, trading silk, porcelain, sugar, and sundry goods that supplied the main cargo for the Manila galleons. The Chinese community became a key link between the Chinese coast and the Pacific trade network.
3. 1595–1600Manila harbor · PhilippinesBy the end of the 16th century, the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade was operating on a regular schedule, annually carrying large quantities of Chinese goods via Mexico to Spain. Manila thus became one of the most important transshipment ports in the Pacific, with vast quantities of silver flowing into China's southeastern coast.