Editing Ermita (section)

==History==
{{More citations needed section|date=June 2009}}

[[File:Luneta, 1899.jpg|300px|thumb|Luneta Promenade in the late 1890s]]

===Kingdom of Luzon===
The town of Ermita was originally called ''Lagyo'' in Tagalog. It was close to Manila.

===Spanish rule (1570–1898)===

During Spanish rule, the town was recorded by Miguel de Loarca in 1582:

{{quote|''On the coast near Manila are '''Laguo''', [[Malate, Manila|Malahat]], [[Don Galo|Longalo]], [[Parañaque|Palañac]], [[Bacoor|Vakol]], [[Kawit|Minacaya]], and [[Cavite City|Cavite]]. All these settlements are in the neighborhood of Cavite, and belong to his Majesty, to whom they pay tribute.''|author=Miguel de Loarca|source=Relacion de Yslas Filipinas (1582)<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16501/16501-h/16501-h.htm#d0e420 |title=The Philippine Islands, 1493–1803 |date=1906 |publisher=Arthur H. Clark Company |editor-last=Blair |editor-first=Emma Helen |volume=5: 1582–1583 |page=83 |editor-last2=Robertson |editor-first2=James Alexander}}</ref>}}

Lagyo was re-christened in the 17th century as ''La Hermita'' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]] for "the [[Hermitage (religious retreat)|hermitage]]") after the fact that a Mexican hermit resided in the area and on this site was built a hermitage housing an image of the [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Virgin Mary]] known as the [[Our Lady of Guidance|''Nuestra Señora de Guia'' (Our Lady of Guidance)]]. The hermit-priest's name was Juan Fernandez de Leon, who was a hermit in Mexico before relocating to Manila.<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.530346/2015.530346.jesuits-in_djvu.txt "Jesuits In The Philippines (1581–1768)" Page 132] "In 1591 there arrived in Manila a secular priest named Juan Fernandez de Leon. He had led a hermit's life in Mexico and planned to continue it in the Philippines. For this purpose he built himself a retreat near a wayside shrine just outside the city walls which was dedicated to Our Lady of Guidance, Nuestra Sehora de Guia. His hermitage later gave its name to the entire district,  which is called Ermita to this day."</ref> 

The hermitage has since evolved into [[Ermita Church]], rebuilt several times since the early 17th century.<ref>By Sword and Fire: The Destruction of Manila in World War II 3 February – 3 March 1945, p. 85-86</ref> During the Spanish evacuation of Ternate in present-day Indonesia, the 200 families of mixed Mexican-Filipino-Spanish and Papuan-Indonesian-Portuguese descent who had ruled over the Christianized [[Sultanate of Ternate]] and included their sultan who converted, were relocated to [[Ternate, Cavite]], and Ermita, Manila.<ref>Zamboangueño Chavacano: Philippine Spanish Creole or Filipinized Spanish Creole? By Tyron Judes D. Casumpang (Page 3)</ref>

By the 19th century, although still considered as an "''arrabal''{{Hair space}}", which refers to a ''rural area'', urban expansion had slowly reached the northern portion of the district mainly due to the development of the ''Luneta'', also called ''Bagumbayan'', as a promenade at the coast of Manila Bay. The district also saw the construction of the [[Manila Observatory]] by Father Federico Faura during the early 1890s. It was once located on a [[Padre Faura Street|street]] now named after Fr. Faura himself. Ermita then developed a creole language based on Spanish called [[Chavacano#Ermiteño|Ermiteño]], which eventually became extinct after the devastation of the [[Second World War]]. However, it still has a [[Chavacano#Caviteño/Ternateño 2|surviving cousin language]] spoken in nearby [[Cavite]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}

===American and Commonwealth era (1900–1944)===
[[File:Manila Burnham Plan.jpg|240px|thumb|left|Burnham Plan of Manila, 1905]]
Ermita gained renewed prominence during the [[History of the Philippines (1898-1946)|American]] and [[Commonwealth of the Philippines|Commonwealth era]]. As part of [[Daniel Burnham]]'s plans for Manila, influenced by the [[City Beautiful movement]] during the early 1900s, Ermita, alongside [[Intramuros]]' surrounding areas, had undergone a drastic redevelopment from being the ''outskirts'' to urban districts. In 1901, with the chartering of Manila,<ref>{{cite act|index=183|title=An act to incorporate the City of Manila |url=https://lawyerly.ph/laws/view/l8b5e |date=July 31, 1901|access-date=June 6, 2022}}</ref> Ermita would be absorbed by the city of Manila when its area was expanded outside the walled [[Intramuros]].

Burnham envisioned the district, especially in the northern portion, to be the center of the Philippine government, redeveloping Luneta into a grand park patterned after that of the [[National Mall]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] Government buildings housing the legislative, executive and judicial branches were planned to be located in the area. A proposed Philippine capitol was also planned to be built at the eastern tip of Luneta Park but never materialized.<ref>{{cite web |title=(5) The Plan: Manila |url=https://burnhampi.wordpress.com/2010/06/06/the-plan-manila/ |website=Burnham in the Philippines}}</ref>
[[File:AL-135 Highfill Album Image (15340671201).jpg|260px|thumb|Aerial view of Ermita District facing Manila Bay]]
It also became known as the university district, containing the campuses and dormitories of the [[Philippine Normal University]],<ref>pnu.edu.ph</ref> the [[University of the Philippines]], the [[Ateneo de Manila University|Ateneo de Manila]], the [[Adamson University]], the [[Assumption College San Lorenzo|Assumption College]] and [[St. Paul University (Philippines)|St. Paul College]]. The residential portion of Ermita was populated by American residents, who set up such establishments as the Army and Navy Club and the University Club.<ref>By Sword and Fire: The Destruction of Manila in World War II 3 February – 3 March 1945, p. 89</ref>

Aside from its universities and leisure clubs, Ermita district, as well as its adjacent district, Malate, which both happened to be facing Manila Bay, were once home to Manila's high society and were filled with large, gilded mansions. Manila's wealthiest families used to live in the twin suburbs.

One notable structure built was the [[Insular Ice Plant]], designed by consulting architect Edgar K. Bourne, who was also the head of the Bureau of Architecture in 1902 (under the [[Philippine Commission]]).

===Second World War (1942–1945)===
In February 1945, during the [[Battle of Manila (1945)|1945 Battle of Manila]], Ermita was the scene of some of the most horrific massacres that occurred during the [[World War II|Second World War]]. The wife and four children of future [[President of the Philippines|President]] [[Elpidio Quirino]] were murdered in Ermita, as was [[Supreme Court of the Philippines|Supreme Court Associate Justice]] [[Anacleto Diaz]]. Between 68% and 85% of Ermita was destroyed during the Battle of Manila, with an estimated total of 100,000 Filipino civilians killed within the city.<ref>By Sword and Fire: The Destruction of Manila in World War II 3 February – 3 March 1945, p. 405</ref>

===Post-war era (1946–present)===
After the war, the district slowly transformed from a residential area into a commercial area as the upper classes moved to other cities such as Quezon City and Makati.

Ermita was rebuilt after the devastation of the war. University life remained vibrant therein. However, as decades passed, Ermita started earning a reputation as the [[red-light district]] of Manila.<ref>Leo van der Velden, Tussen Prostituee en Maitresse, de Hospitality Girls van Ermita, Manila, 1982, ASC-VAZZOA Universiteit van Amsterdam https://hdl.handle.net/11653/book93585 </ref> During the first term of Mayor [[Alfredo Lim]], 1992–1998, efforts were made to "clean up" Ermita's image and reputation. However, a local city ordinance prohibiting the establishment of motels, lodging houses, and other similar establishments was later declared [[unconstitutional]] by the [[Supreme Court of the Philippines|Supreme Court]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080224140650/http://www.supremecourt.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2005/apr2005/118127.htm G.R. No. 118127.  April 12, 2005] (archived from [http://www.supremecourt.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2005/apr2005/118127.htm the original] on 2008-02-24)</ref> Nightlife in the area dwindled, though it later picked up with the help of the emergence of the nearby [[Malate, Manila|Malate]] district and the [[Roxas Boulevard]] revitalization efforts along [[Manila Bay]].