# Santa Cruz, Manila

Santa Cruz is a district in the northern part of the City of Manila, Philippines, located on the right bank of the Pasig River near its mouth, bordered by the districts of Tondo, Binondo, Quiapo, and Sampaloc, as well as the areas of Grace Park and Barrio San Jose in Caloocan and the district of La Loma in Quezon City. The district belongs to the 3rd congressional district of Manila.

## History
### Spanish colonial era

Prior to the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors to the Philippine Islands, the district of Santa Cruz was partly a marshland, patches of greeneries, orchards and partly rice fields. A Spanish expedition in 1581 claimed the territory and awarded to the Society of Jesus whose members are known as 'Jesuits'.
The Jesuits built the first Catholic church in the area where the present Santa Cruz Parish stands on June 20, 1619. The Jesuits enshrined the image of the Our Lady of The Pillar in 1643 to serve the pre-dominantly Chinese residents in the area. The image drew a lot of devotees and a popular cult grew around it.
On June 24, 1784, King Carlos III of Spain gave the deeds to about 2 km$^2$ (0.77 sq mi) of land that was part of the Hacienda de Mayhaligue to the San Lazaro Hospital which served as a caring home for lepers in Manila at that time.
At the Santa Cruz Parish, a small park was built that linked the area into the headquarters of the Spanish cavalry, the building that once was the Colegio de San Ildefonso, operated by the Jesuits. The district in the Spanish times also had a slaughter house and a meat market and up north was the Chinese cemetery.
The Franciscan fathers were given the responsibility to care for the lepers of the city and specifically the San Lazaro Hospital. Father Felix Huerta developed San Lazaro into a refuge for the afflicted and it became a famous home for those afflicted in the north side of the Pasig River.

### World War II

During World War II, the Japanese occupational forces, caught unaware of the fast approaching liberation by the combined American & Filipino soldiers from the north, abandoned in 1945 the northern banks of the Pasig River including Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz and much of the northern portions of Manila were spared from the artillery bombardment and to date, a number of pre-World War II buildings and houses still stand in Santa Cruz.
When the Philippine republic was finally established in July 1946, the San Lazaro Hospital complex became the head office of the country’s Department of Health.

## Notable buildings
### Santa Cruz Church

The first Santa Cruz Church was built when the Arrabal (Suburb) of Santa Cruz was established by the Jesuits in the early 1600s. The church had undergone many repairs and reconstruction, with the last reconstruction done in the 1950s. Today, the church architecture employs a California Spanish Mission style facade silhouette with the usual Filipino (Asian-Hispanic mix) Baroque ornamentation. The church facade is topped with an effigy statue of Our Lady of the Pillar, the patroness of the church whose feast happens every third Sunday of October and on the 12th day of October.

### Cemeteries

Santa Cruz is home to Manila's oldest cemeteries located in the district's northern section namely, La Loma Cemetery (shared with Caloocan), the Manila Chinese Cemetery, and the city's biggest, the Manila North Cemetery.

## Main thoroughfares

Rizal Avenue is the main thoroughfare in the district. The district is also accessible via the following roads:
* Recto Avenue
* Tayuman Street
* Blumentritt Road
Stations of the LRT Line 1 located in Santa Cruz are Carriedo (shared with Quiapo), Doroteo Jose, Bambang, Tayuman and Blumentritt (shared with Tondo). The Philippine National Railways has a station in Blumentritt. Jeepneys coming from Baclaran, Pasay, Valenzuela, Novaliches and Caloocan pass through Rizal Avenue.

## Education

As of February 2024, the Manila Department of Education lists three senior high schools in Santa Cruz, namely Cayetano Arellano, Manuel L. Quezon (SHS) and Doña Teodora Alonzo.

## Barangays

Santa Cruz has 82 barangays, group in nine Zones of the City of Manila.
| Barangay | Land area (km$^2$) | Population (2020 census) |
| Zone 29 |||
| Barangay 297 | 0.03272 km$^2$ | 2,005 |
| Barangay 298 | 0.03450 km$^2$ | 1,020 |
| Barangay 299 | 0.03215 km$^2$ | 1,300 |
| Barangay 300 | 0.01291 km$^2$ | 981 |
| Barangay 301 | 0.01767 km$^2$ | 448 |
| Barangay 302 | 0.01031 km$^2$ | 654 |
| Barangay 303 | 0.06499 km$^2$ | 641 |
| Barangay 304 | 0.02792 km$^2$ | 298 |
| Barangay 305 | 0.03740 km$^2$ | 645 |
| Zone 31 |||
| Barangay 310 | 0.08649 km$^2$ | 13,602 |
| Barangay 311 | 0.04576 km$^2$ | 2,401 |
| Barangay 312 | 0.03626 km$^2$ | 3,328 |
| Barangay 313 | 0.05434 km$^2$ | 2,848 |
| Barangay 314 | 0.05279 km$^2$ | 2,064 |
| Zone 32 |||
| Barangay 315 | 0.06805 km$^2$ | 1,786 |
| Barangay 316 | 0.01934 km$^2$ | 829 |
| Barangay 317 | 0.02480 km$^2$ | 1,542 |
| Barangay 318 | 0.01268 km$^2$ | 740 |
| Barangay 319 | 0.01705 km$^2$ | 1,209 |
| Barangay 320 | 0.02429 km$^2$ | 1,300 |
| Barangay 321 | 0.01300 km$^2$ | 240 |
| Barangay 322 | 0.01519 km$^2$ | 799 |
| Barangay 323 | 0.02378 km$^2$ | 1,060 |
| Barangay 324 | 0.01246 km$^2$ | 605 |
| Barangay 325 | 0.009850 km$^2$ | 522 |
| Zone 33 |||
| Barangay 326 | 0.01226 km$^2$ | 825 |
| Barangay 327 | 0.03052 km$^2$ | 1,239 |
| Barangay 328 | 0.01152 km$^2$ | 679 |
| Barangay 329 | 0.01629 km$^2$ | 439 |
| Barangay 330 | 0.02729 km$^2$ | 2,244 |
| Barangay 331 | 0.1383 km$^2$ | 924 |
| Barangay 332 | 0.01247 km$^2$ | 582 |
| Barangay 333 | 0.01653 km$^2$ | 877 |
| Barangay 334 | 0.03035 km$^2$ | 1,461 |
| Barangay 335 | 0.02878 km$^2$ | 1,350 |
| Zone 34 |||
| Barangay 336 | 0.03266 km$^2$ | 2,134 |
| Barangay 337 | 0.02884 km$^2$ | 1,386 |
| Barangay 338 | 0.02865 km$^2$ | 1,378 |
| Barangay 339 | 0.02748 km$^2$ | 1,265 |
| Barangay 340 | 0.02861 km$^2$ | 2,009 |
| Barangay 341 | 0.03320 km$^2$ | 1,463 |
| Barangay 342 | 0.05714 km$^2$ | 1,634 |
| Barangay 343 | 0.04155 km$^2$ | 2,209 |
| Zone 35 |||
| Barangay 344 | 0.03498 km$^2$ | 536 |
| Barangay 345 | 0.02953 km$^2$ | 1,149 |
| Barangay 346 | 0.02944 km$^2$ | 1,511 |
| Barangay 347 | 0.02963 km$^2$ | 1,266 |
| Barangay 348 | 0.02268 km$^2$ | 1,249 |
| Barangay 349 | 0.01395 km$^2$ | 788 |
| Barangay 350 | 0.1555 km$^2$ | 6,776 |
| Barangay 351 | 0.05098 km$^2$ | 3,401 |
| Barangay 352 | 0.03569 km$^2$ | 1,342 |
| Zone 36 |||
| Barangay 353 | 0.04906 km$^2$ | 2,232 |
| Barangay 354 | 0.04162 km$^2$ | 1,810 |
| Barangay 355 | 0.04534 km$^2$ | 970 |
| Barangay 356 | 0.02078 km$^2$ | 505 |
| Barangay 357 | 0.02063 km$^2$ | 736 |
| Barangay 358 | 0.02023 km$^2$ | 1,029 |
| Barangay 359 | 0.01921 km$^2$ | 410 |
| Barangay 360 | 0.03144 km$^2$ | 741 |
| Barangay 361 | 0.02054 km$^2$ | 715 |
| Barangay 362 | 0.01722 km$^2$ | 252 |
| Zone 37 |||
| Barangay 363 | 0.02382 km$^2$ | 559 |
| Barangay 364 | 0.02242 km$^2$ | 1,985 |
| Barangay 365 | 0.01923 km$^2$ | 1,278 |
| Barangay 366 | 0.02240 km$^2$ | 1,193 |
| Barangay 367 | 0.03112 km$^2$ | 1,708 |
| Barangay 368 | 0.02616 km$^2$ | 1,337 |
| Barangay 369 | 0.02241 km$^2$ | 1,396 |
| Barangay 370 | 0.02005 km$^2$ | 772 |
| Barangay 371 | 0.02486 km$^2$ | 842 |
| Barangay 372 | 0.5443 km$^2$ | 4,136 |
| Zone 38 |||
| Barangay 373 | 0.01963 km$^2$ | 3,788 |
| Barangay 374 | 0.02657 km$^2$ | 3,277 |
| Barangay 375 | 0.01737 km$^2$ | 3,909 |
| Barangay 376 | 0.04343 km$^2$ | 930 |
| Barangay 377 | 0.01518 km$^2$ | 578 |
| Barangay 378 | 0.02461 km$^2$ | 602 |
| Barangay 379 | 0.009460 km$^2$ | 654 |
| Barangay 380 | 0.01454 km$^2$ | 921 |
| Barangay 381 | 0.02978 km$^2$ | 1,591 |
| Barangay 382 | 0.03314 km$^2$ | 896 |

### Sub-districts

Barangays
| Zone | Barangays |
| Zone 29 | Barangays 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, and 305 |
| Zone 31 | Barangays 310, 311, 312, 313, and 314 |
| Zone 32 | Barangays 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, and 325 |
| Zone 33 | Barangays 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 334, and 335 |
| Zone 34 | Barangays 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, and 343 |
| Zone 35 | Barangays 344, 345, 346, 347, 348 349, 350, 351, and 352 |
| Zone 36 | Barangays 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, and 362 |
| Zone 37 | Barangays 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, and 372 |
| Zone 38 | Barangays 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, and 382 |
Santa Cruz has two postal codes corresponding to its two sub-districts: 1014 for Santa Cruz North and 1003 for Santa Cruz South.
List of Streets within Santa Cruz (North) :
* STREETS
* ALMEDA
* ANACLETO
* ANDRADE
* ARAGON
* AURORA BLVD.
* BALAGUER
* BALANGA
* BALDWIN
* BATANGAS
* BECERINA
* BLUMENTRITT
* BOLINAO
* BUGALLON
* BULACAN
* CAMARINES
* CAVITE
* CHINESE CEMETERY
* CONSUELO
* DINALUPIHAN
* ELIAS
* FELINA
* FELIX HUERTAS
* FIESTA
* GEN. DIOKNO
* ILUSTRE
* IPIL
* JOSE ABAD SANTOS
* KALIMBAS
* KARAPATAN
* KUSANG LOOB
* LA LOMA CEMETERY
* LICO
* LICO EXT.
* M. HIZON
* M. NATIVIDAD
* MAKATA
* MOUNT SAMAT
* NEW ANTIPOLO
* NORTH CEMETERY
* OLD ANTIPOLO
* ORANI
* ORION
* OROQUIETA
* P.GUEVARRA
* PAMPANGA
* QUIROGA
* RIVERA
* RIZAL AVE.
* S.REYES
* SAGANI
* SAMPAGUITA
* SAN LAZARO HIPPODROME
* SULU
* TAMBUNTING
* TAYABAS
* TECSON
* TIAGO
* TINDALO
* TINDALO EXT.
* TOMAS MAPUA
* VISION
* YAKAL
List of Streets within Santa Cruz (South) :
* Streets
* AGUILAR
* ALEGRE
* ALMEDA
* ALONZO
* ALVARADO EXT.
* ALVAREZ
* ALVAREZ EXT.
* ANACLETO
* APITONG
* BAHAMA
* BAMBANG
* BENAVIDEZ
* BERMUDA
* BIAK-NA-BATO
* BUSTOS
* DAPDAP
* DE GUIA
* DIZON
* DOROTEO JOSE
* E. REMIGIO
* ESPELETA
* F.DE LEON
* F. TORRES
* FELIX HUERTAS
* FERNANDEZ
* G. ARANETA
* GANDARA
* GIL PUYAT
* INFEROR
* IPIL
* J.REYES MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
* KALIMBAS
* KATUBUSAN
* KUSANG LOOB
* LA TORRE
* LOPE DE VEGA
* LUZON
* M. NATIVIDAD
* MAKATA
* MALABON
* MASANGKAY
* MAYHALIGUE
* MILAGROS
* NARCISA RIZAL
* OKIPINJA
* ONGPIN
* OROQUIETA
* P. GUEVARRA
* PIEDAD
* QUIRICADA
* REYES
* SALAZAR
* SAN BERNARDO
* SAN LAZARO HOSPITAL
* SAN NICOLAS
* SANCHEZ
* SANTIAGO
* SOLER
* SULU
* TECSON
* TETUAN
* TINDALO
* TOMAS MAPUA
* TRONQUED
* TUBERIA
* YAKAL
* YEBANA
* ZACATEROS

## Gallery
### Religious buildings

* Santa Cruz Church
* Archdiocesan Shrine of Espiritu Santo
* San Roque Church
* Bethel Knox United Methodist Church

### Civic institutions

* José R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center
* Chinese General Hospital
* Manila North Cemetery
* Manila Chinese Cemetery

### Commercial establishments

* Chinatown (Plaza Santa Cruz), Third Welcome Gate (Arch of Goodwill) to Ongpin Street towards Binondo
* Ongpin Commercial Center
* Bank of the Philippine Islands at Don Román Santos Building, a neo-classical, Graeco-Roman structure at Plaza Goiti (now Plaza Lacson)
* Carriedo Street with Plaza Lacson in the background
* Commercial Buildings in Rizal Avenue
* San Lazaro Tourism and Business Park (formerly the San Lázaro Racetrack)
* Capitan Pepe Building

### Residences

* Bahay na bato house in Santa Cruz, Manila
* Bahay na bato apartments in Santa Cruz, Manila
* Period architecture in Santa Cruz, Manila
* Bahay na Bato House in Bambang Rizal Avenue