My first visit to Palacio de Memoria was on a weekend back in June when it had one of its flea market events. Antiques and art were being sold along with fine food and premium alcohol. It was Manila’s version of Berlin’s Trödelmarkt and Madrid’s El Rastro.
Since then, I’ve been dying to bring friends from the diplomatic circle, even just for a tour of the place on a quiet weekday. A pre-war mansion featuring Spanish Revival architecture and Filipino art deco motifs, it was restored after years of abandonment and turned into an art and dining oasis in the Metro. The Palacio was the perfect venue to get together and create some wonderful Manila memories with people who are here for only a limited time.
Thankfully, restrictions have started to ease up and we were able to go in a smaller group. We made our way to Roxas Boulevard one gloomy Wednesday morning and started our tour, which first brought us to the museum. The place featured pieces from the collection of seasoned diplomat and businessman Amb. Philippe Lhuillier and his family. Religious paintings from as early as the 14th century and ivory icons auctioned off by closing churches in Europe adorn the museum’s two floors. “This used to be the carriage house,” our enthusiastic guide told our group. “Now it’s the property’s museum and chapel, just a few steps from the main house.”
Time travel
We were treated to an intriguing history lesson of the mansion, too. Anecdotes about its purported owner, Antonio Melian y Pavia, who commissioned the mansion for his wife, Margarita Zobel de Ayala. How the Los Tamaraos Polo Club was established next to the property during the Commonwealth era after Filipinos experienced discrimination at the almost-exclusively-white Manila Polo Club. We were also told of how the mansion was able to survive World War II and that it still has a tunnel underneath that leads to the beach. The mansion later came into the possession of the Villaromans, a family of doctors shrouded in a couple of mysteries of their own. They expanded the home, adding floors and even a morgue, which was helpful to their medical practice. The family later left the mansion, however, and it fell into a decrepit state.
In the early 2000s, the Lhuilliers acquired the property and worked on its restoration, which proved to be quite the task. But it led them to discover an art deco terrazzo flooring credited to Filipino national artist for architecture Juan Nakpil.
On its grounds, visitors will also find two, vintage planes. One of them, a decommissioned Antonov 24B from Kiev, has been restored and turned into the Mosphil Lounge. Stepping into the plane immediately takes you back to the ’60s because of its interiors. A glass floor gives you a view of the plane’s underbelly and the cockpit still boasts of some of its original controls with signs and some indicators still in Cyrillic. It’s an event venue so unique it had our group asking when and how we could rent it for future events.
The mansion later came into the possession of the Villaromans, a family of doctors shrouded in a couple of mysteries of their own. They expanded the home, adding floors and even a morgue, which was helpful to their medical practice.
A relaxing lunch
Aside from being a museum, event space, and place of interest among history and art enthusiasts, the palacio also attracts foodies through The Loggia, its restaurant that proudly has seasoned chef and restaurateur Margarita Fores at its helm.
Outdoor seats, lots of air, and a tranquil setting by the mansion’s former pool make for such a perfect lunch spot. I almost forgot Roxas Boulevard was just outside the gates and crowded Baclaran was merely a short ride away. “It’s a great break from the pandemic and the chaos of day-to-day life,” said one of the women in our group.
“Who would have thought this was just here?” another member of our group chimed in. I find that it’s a great place to bring people who wish to learn more about the city’s history on a more intimate level, nothing too overwhelming. A museum and a mansion that gives you a glimpse of how some of the well-heeled Manila folks lived back in the day. Touring Palacio de Memoria is a great way to show visitors that Manila is so much more than typhoons, traffic, and the chosen coverage topics by international media outlets.
It also doesn’t hurt that the place is an absolute visual feast. The Grey and Red rooms are perfect for some afternoon tea while the Ambassador’s Dining Hall makes for a gorgeous setting for intimate yet very special meals. On top of the mansion is the usually private Bunker Bar, which the team behind the palacio generously included in our tour.
Art and antiques
Palacio de Memoria is also home to Casa de Memoria, the property’s auction arm. Camille Lhuillier, the ambassador’s daughter, is the general manager of the property and the auction house that has brought so much life and energy to Manila’s art and antique buying scene. Yes, despite the pandemic and its challenges.
Last weekend, Palacio de Memoria had another run of its weekend flea market, which brought art, antiques, and even Filipino designer pieces through “Arte Fino” to those looking for social distanced, open-air shopping.