Timeline of Manila

Prior to 20th century

1365 - Battle of Manila (1365), Forces of the Kingdoms of Luzon battled the Empire of Majapahit from Java in what is now Manila.

1571 - 24 June: Spaniards Martín de Goiti, Juan de Salcedo and Miguel López de Legazpi arrive.

1573 - Spanish galleon trade begins.

1574 - Chinese pirate Limahong tries to take Manila.

1579 - Catholic Diocese of Manila established.

1583 - Fire.

1584 - Real Audiencia of Manila of the Viceroyalty of New Spain established.

1590 - Printing press established.

1603 - Chinese unrest.

1607 - San Agustin Church consecrated.

1611 - University of Santo Tomas established by Catholic Dominicans.

1615 - Acapulco-Manila galleon trade begins.

1620 -Colegio de San Juan de Letran established by Catholic Dominicans.

1645 - 1645 Luzon earthquake.

1762 - British occupation of Manila begins.

1764 - British occupation of Manila ends per Treaty of Paris; Spanish in power again.

1823 - Population: 38,000.

1837 - Port opens to foreign trade.

1848 - Diario de Manila newspaper begins publication.

1852 - September: Earthquake.

1859

Escuela Municipal de Manila, the precursor of the Ateneo de Manila University founded.

Ilustración Filipina magazine begins publication.

1863 - 3 June: Earthquake.

1865 - Manila Observatory founded.

1866 - Canal de la Reina dug in Binondo.

1870 - 23 March: Fire in Binondo.

1876 - Population: 93,595.

1880 - July: Earthquake.

1881 - Hong Kong-Manila telegraph in operation.

1882

October: Typhoon.

Water supply inaugurated.

1887 - Population: 176,777.

1888 - Commercial Association of Lumber established.

1889 - Tabacalera Flor de la Isabela cigar factory built in Paco.

1892 - Dagupan-Manila railway begins operating.

1893

Electrical lighting installed.

Fire.

1896 - 5 December: 1896 Manila mutiny.

1898

25 July - 13 August: Battle of Manila (1898); United States in power.

The Manila Times English-language newspaper begins publication.

1899

4–5 February: Battle of Manila (1899).

Calle Rizal laid out.

1900s-1940s

1900 - Instituto de Mujeres and American Circulating Library established.

1901

City of Manila administrative entity created, composed of Binondo, Ermita, Intramuros, Malate, Pandacan, Port Area, Quiapo, Santa Cruz, Santa Ana de Sapa, San Nicolas, San Miguel, San Fernando de Dilao (Paco), Sampaloc, San Andres, Santa Mesa, Tondo.

Capital of the Philippines relocated to Manila from Malolos.

Arsenio Cruz-Herrera becomes mayor.

National Museum of the Philippines established.

United States military Fort William McKinley established near city.

1902 - Manila Grand Opera House in use in Santa Cruz.

1903 - Population: 219,928 city; 330,345 metro.

1905

Manila Elks Club established.

Félix Roxas becomes mayor.

1908

University of the Philippines Manila founded.

The famous Manila Carnival is held for the first time.

1909 - Philippine Library established.

1910

Basketball, volleyball, and Boy Scouting are started in the Philippines at the Manila YMCA by YMCA Physical Director Elwood Stanley Brown.

"Great Fire in Manila", costing over two million pesos, in Binondo.

1912 - Manila Hotel in business.

1913

The first Far Eastern Championship Games, called "the first Oriental Olympic Games," are held at the Carnival grounds (later the site of the Rizal Memorial Sports Stadium) in Malate, 3–7 February, with participants from the US Philippine Islands, China, Japan, the British East Indies (Malaya), Thailand, and British Hong Kong.

Rizal Monument erected.

1917 - Justo Lukban becomes mayor.

1918 - Population: 285,306 city; 469,955 metro.

1919 - United States military Camp Nichols established near city.

1920 - Ramón Fernández becomes mayor.

1923 - The Peking Council, the Tokyo Council, and the Manila Council, the first Boy Scouts of America Councils in Asia, are organised. (The huge 1973 Golden Jubilee Jamboree of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines would be dated from this year.)

1924 - Miguel Romuáldez becomes mayor.

1926 - Legislative Building inaugurated in Ermita.

1927 - Tomás Earnshaw becomes mayor.

1928 - The Institute of Accountancy, which later became Far Eastern University, is founded in Sampaloc by Nicanor Reyes et al.

1930 - Legazpi-Urdaneta Monument erected.

1935

Metropolitan Theater built.

Valeriano Fugoso becomes mayor.

Grace Park Airfield begins operating in Caloocan.

City becomes capital of the newly formed Commonwealth of the Philippines.

The Philippine Commonwealth Army was established and the general headquarters and military camp bases are located in the capital city.

1939 - Population: 623,492.

1941

City of Greater Manila formed, merging city and municipal governments of Manila, Quezon City, San Juan del Monte, Caloocan, etc.

Jorge B. Vargas becomes mayor.

Dissolution of the Philippine Commonwealth Army's general headquarters and camp base in the city's capital was until the occupied by the Japanese Imperial forces.

1942

Japanese occupation begins.

León G. Guinto, Sr. becomes mayor.

The general headquarters and military camp base of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was stationed are actively moved in the province.

1945

February: Manila massacre by Japanese forces.

3 February - 3 March: Battle of Manila (1945); Japanese defeated.

Juan L. Nolasco becomes mayor.

The re-established of the general headquarters and military camp base of the Philippine Commonwealth Army included Philippine Constabulary was turns back are station's re-active in the city's capital after liberation.

1946 - City becomes part of the newly proclaimed Republic of the Philippines.

1947 - Republic Theatre opens.

1948

Capital of the Philippines relocated from Manila to Quezon City.

Manuel A. Roxas High School established in Paco.

Manuel de la Fuente becomes mayor.

Population: 983,906 city; 1,569,148 metro.

Manila American Cemetery and Memorial established near city.

1949 - 18 June: City legislative districts for House of Representatives of the Philippines expanded from two to four.

1950s-1990s

1952

Arsenio Lacson becomes mayor.

National Press Club headquartered in city.

1954 - Holy Child Catholic School active in Tondo.

1959 - Ramon Magsaysay High School established in España, Manila.

1960

Araneta Coliseum opens in Quezon City.

Population: 1,138,611 city; 2,462,288 metro.

1961 - Manila Airport new terminal opens.

1962 - Antonio Villegas becomes mayor.

1966 - Cultural Center of the Philippines founded.

1970

Zone One Tondo Organization established.

Population: 1,330,788 city; 3,966,685 metro.

1971 - Ramon Bagatsing becomes mayor.

21 August: Plaza Miranda Bombing.

1973 - Some 3000 Boy Scouts camp out and conduct a massive clean-up of Intramuros, 9–11 February.

1975

1 October: Thrilla in Manila.

Metropolitan Manila Commission created to administer aspects of Caloocan, Mandaluyong, Makati, Malabon, Manila, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Pasay, Pasig, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Pateros, Quezon City, San Juan, Taguig, Valenzuela.

Population: 1,479,116 city; 4,880,006 metro.

1976

Capital of the Philippines relocated to Manila from Quezon City.

Philippine International Convention Center built in Pasay.

Harrison Plaza, the first shopping mall in the Philippines, opens in Malate, Manila.

1979 - Sampaloc flea market officially inaugurated.

1980 - Population: 5,924,563 metro.

1981 - Sister city relationship established with San Francisco, USA.

1982 - Metro Manila Commission for Squatters established.

1983 - 21 August: Assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr. at Manila International Airport.

1984 - Manila Light Rail Transit System begins operating.

1986

February: People Power Revolution.

May: Mel Lopez becomes mayor.

1987 - First Coup Attempt

1989 - Second Coup Attempt

1987 - January: Mendiola Massacre.

1992 - Alfredo Lim becomes mayor.

1994

Museo Pambata opens in Ermita.

20 May: Miss Universe 1994.

1995

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority established.

Catholic pope visits city.

1998 - Lito Atienza becomes mayor.

21st century

2000

30 December: Rizal Day bombings.

Green Papaya Art Projects founded.

Population: 1,581,082 city; 9,932,560 metro.

2001

January: 2001 EDSA Revolution.

April–May: EDSA III protest.

2002 - Bus bombing.

2003 - Army mutiny.

2007

June: Alfredo Lim becomes mayor again.

November: Coup attempt.

Asian Network of Major Cities 21 meets in Manila.

Mall of Asia opens in Pasay.

MO_Space art gallery founded.

2009 - September: Typhoon.

2010

23 August: Manila hostage crisis in Rizal Park.

Population: 1,652,171 city; 11,855,975 metro.

2012 - August: Flooding.

2013

August: Million People March.

Joseph Estrada becomes mayor.

2015 - January: Catholic pope visits city.