District · Manila
Binondo
The oldest Chinatown in the world, best walked at lunchtime for dumplings, noodles and hopia. The Spaniards laid it out in 1594 across the Pasig River from Intramuros, as a settlement for Catholic Chinese that the colonial government could keep an eye on. It is still the trading centre of Manila, full of businesses run by Chinese Filipinos.
Binondo Church stands at its heart. The Dominicans founded it in 1596, the granite building went up in 1852, and only the western facade and the eight-sided belfry came through the Second World War.
- Town
- Manila
Written by an editor · 21 Sep 2026 · source: Wikipedia, Binondo; Binondo Church