“The Ruins” as the locals call it, is an abandoned mansion located in Talisay City in the Negros Occidental province of the Philippines.
The mansion was the ancestral home of sugar baron Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson, built in the 1900’s in memory of his wife Maria Braga, a Portuguese he met in Macao. In its time, it was the largest residential structure in the area. During the World War II the building was set alight by US forces in a bid to prevent the Japanese using it as their headquarters. The fire burnt for 3 days and when it was put out only the mansion was reduced to ruins.
This place is a must-see for Ilonggos and photo enthusiasts who visit Negros Occidental. I’m not sure about the direction though but as far as I could remember we got into the main road beside the Honda Cars showroom in Talisay. No signage was visible along the highway so we just followed the track straight ahead.
The off-road leading to the ruins was terrifying but it felt rewarding to see and learn the history behind this beautiful structure. Starting in 2008, the beautifully preserved mansion opened to the public and is now visited by locals and tourists at any time of the day.
