One of the many landmarks and must visit places in Negros Occidental is The Ruins. Did you know that there’s more to it than just being a heritage mansion?

    Dubbed as the “Taj Mahal of Negros”, The Ruins was made by the wealth sugar baron Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson in memory of his wife, the same reason why the famous Taj Mahal of India was built. We all learned in our history and geography classes how and why the famous Taj Mahal was built. The ivory-white marble mausoleum that can be found in Agra, India is a testimony of an undying love one can offer. The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan commissioned its construction in 1631 to house the remains of his third and favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal.

                The Ruins, on the other hand was built in early 1900’s by Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson in loving memory of his wife Maria Braga. It is located in Talisay, Negros Occidental. The Italianate architecture mansion served as the ancestral home of the family of Don Mariano and his wife. They were blessed with 10 children, two of whom became government officials. They are Victoria, Rafael, Mercedes, Natividad, Sofia, Felipe, Consolacion, Angelina, Ramon and Eduardo.

                During the Spanish colonial era, Don Mariano was an attractive young bachelor who loves to travel. He owned a 440-hectare plantation in Talisay City, Negros Occidental. In one of his travels in Hong kong, he met Maria Braga, a beautiful Portuguese lady from Macau. He courted her and eventually married her. They started their own family in Talisay City. Unfortunately, a tragic event happened during Maria’s pregnancy with her 11^th child. She slipped in the bathroom and started to bleed. During these days, it would take 2 days to travel with horse-drawn carriage from the town of Talisay to Silay, where a doctor lived. It took them 4 days waiting for the doctor and by the time the doctor arrived, Maria and her baby already passed away.  This tragic moment made Don Mariano brokenhearted and depressed. Building this mansion near his ancestral house was his way of moving on.

                The mansion was the largest residential ever built at the time. With the help and support of his father-in-law, the construction of the mansion was made possible. The house was filled with finest furniture, chinaware, and decorative items brought by Maria’s father who was a captain of a ship that sailed across Europe and Asia. The mansion was burned down by the guerillas during the WW II to prevent its use as military office by the invading Japanese forces. What was left was the skeletal frame of the mansion. The couple’s initials, M and M can also be seen on the mansion’s posts. 

                Presently, the mansion is popularly known as The Ruins. It became available to the public last 2008 under the ownership of Don Mariano’s great grandson, Mr. Raymund Javellana. The Ruins is open to the public from 8:30 am to 9:00 pm daily. Inside The Ruins, you can see semi-fine dining restaurant offering Mediterranean cuisines, a mini-bar and a live band performing relaxing music. There are also camping and picnic grounds, bath houses, fountain, garden and pavilion outside. Souvenir shop and food stalls that sell famous Negros delicacies such as Piaya and Napoleones are just outside the structure. The Ruins may also be used for special events such as weddings, family reunions, etc.

How to get there:

                The best way to get to this landmark is by plane. From Manila, you can reach this landmark through the Bacolod-Silay Airport. From the airport, you can take shuttle, bus, cab/taxi to reach this place. From Manila, boat/ferry rides are also available to get you to Bacolod.

                When you’re in the city proper, you can choose to ride the cab (which is more convenient) or public utility vehicles (jeepney and tricycle) to bring you to this landmark. Take a jeepney (Bata-Libertad) and drop at the tricycle terminal near the Pepsi cola plant. The tricycle would take you to The Ruins. It will take you around 15 to 20 minutes of travel from the capital city while 10 to 15 minutes awfrom the Airport.  

Travel notes:

The best time to visit the Ruins is during Sunrise and Sunset. The sun will surely showcase the enchanting beauty of the structure. It would also be great if you visit the structure at nighttime where synthetic lights will highlight its beauty. Live music serenading the visitors makes the night at The Ruins more romantic and lovely.  

To many, the ideal month to go to this place would be October, where the popular Masskara Festival is being celebrated. For the Festival spectators and tourists, this place serves as the perfect side-trip destination. But for those who like to enjoy the serene beauty of the place, the best month to go to The Ruins would be November to early December where you can feel the cold Amihan Season minus the flock of tourists.