The Ruins also known as the Lacson Mansion Ruins is hailed as the "Taj Mahal of Negros Occidental."
This mansion was built in 1920 by Don Mariano “Anoy” Ledesma Lacson’s who was the youngest of the 8 children of Lucio Lacson and Clara Ledesma from Molo, Iloilo. It was build as a grand tribute to his Portuguese wife Cora Maria Osorio Rosa-Braga who passed away in 1911 while giving birth to their eleventh child. Among their 10 children is the former governor of Negros Occidental, Rafael Lacson.
In 1942, it was intentionally burned down by the guerrillas, with the permission of the family, after they heard that the Japanese intended to use it as their headquarters. It burned for 3 days resulting to the steel and concrete shell as can be seen today.
In 2008, after 67 years of being abandoned, it was developed into a tourist attraction and opened to the public by Mr. Raymond Javellana's family, current owners who are descendants of the original family).
Upon entry, guests will be taken on a 20-minute long tour led by the Roger Lucero, a reknowned energetic and engaging tour guide. After placing third in the 2015 season of Pinoy Big Brother: 737, Roger returned to Talisay to pursue his passion for promoting local tourism. Recently, he was awarded the title of Best Tour Guide by the Department of Tourism, Region VI (Western Visayas).
The two-story mansion was built in the middle of his 440-hectare sugarcane plantation. Thus, the Simborio or local name for smokestack or chimney can be seen nearby. The mansion had a floor area of 903 square meters with 10 bedrooms.
Every detail of the mansion are remnants of true love. These Machuca tiles were especially brought in from Spain. These were the hardest, famous and most expensive tiles during that time.
In the Italianate architecture with neo-Romanesque columns, you can find the initials of Mariano and Maria - letter "M" facing each other.
The 2-inch thick wooden floors, doors and windows were made of hard wood like tindalo, narra, and kamagong.
The shell-inspired decor at the top edges of the mansion were a tribute to Maria Braga’s father who was a sailor.
The marble-like finishing touches on the walls and posts were a mixture of pure concrete with egg whites.
With the Ruins now available for booking, the flames of burning love lives on as more wedding stories are written within its historic walls.
Tourists can also relive their experience by purchasing a memento at the Souveneir Shop.
The best time to visit is during dry season in the Philippines, which usually starts in November and ends around May. An hour or so before sunset is one of the best times to visit the Ruins. You can watch the magical transition from bright daylight to golden hues as the sun gently descends.
The Ruins has been ranked as the 12th most fascinating ruins in the world. In 2016, DOT also awarded the Ruins as the Best Destination (Heritage Sites Category).
It was also awarded by the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) as the best landmark in the Philippines. 
The house was also an awardee of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineering (PICE) Landmark Award with a 3-meter high obelisk.
While waiting for the sunset, you can dine at The Ruins Gazebo Restaurant which offers an all-day breakfast, pasta, pizza, steak and more.
sugar cane juice stalls for refreshments.
To reach The Ruins, you can take a jeep going to Bata and tell the driver to drop you off at the road going to The Ruins. You can also book a Grab ride.
| The Ruins a.k.a. Lacson Mansion Ruins | ||
| Address | Talisay City, Negros Occidental, Philippines | |
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The Ruins a.k.a. Lacson Mansion Ruins Map |
| Payment Options | Cash |
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| Operating Hours | Monday to Sunday: (check FB page for notice on closure due to exclusive events) 11:00 am-8:00 pm |
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| Reservation Required | No | |
| Contact | +63 (34) 213-1145 +63 (905) 513-3347 |
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