The district of Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz) is located on the right Bank of the Pasig river in the Northern part of Manila. Before the arrival of Spanish conquistadors to the Philippine Islands, the territory of modern urban area was occupied by marshes, meadows and some rice fields. A Spanish expedition in 1581 declared the land the property of the crown and passed into the possession of the Jesuit Order. In 1619, the Jesuits built the first Roman Catholic Church, and in 1643 placed the icon of the blessed virgin Mary Pilarski, around which later developed a cult following.

In 1784 by order of the king of Spain in the territory of Santa Cruz was built the Hospital of St. Lazarus, which housed patients with leprosy. The care was carried out by the Franciscan friars. Later, near parish was a small Park, connecting this area with the headquarters of the Spanish cavalry. In those same years, in the area there is a slaughterhouse and meat market, and in the Northern part of the Chinese cemetery.

During the Second World war, the Japanese occupation forces, caught off guard approaching from the North American and Filipino soldiers fled. The whole area of Santa Cruz and the Northern part of Manila remained virtually untouched, happily avoiding the artillery fire that significantly damaged the rest of the city. So today in Santa Cruz you can see a number of buildings built before the Second World war.

For example, on the street Escolta you can see two stunning houses situated against each other: Regina and Perez-Zamanillo. The first features a neoclassical facade, similar to government buildings in new Delhi. And the house of Camarillo is a masterpiece of Philippine architecture in the art Deco style. It was designed by the son of Juan Luna Andres Luna de San Pedro. This luxurious structure can detect a hint of the majestic building of the Cambodian temple of Angkor Wat and even meso-American motifs.

Plaza Lacson stands the ancient Church of Santa Cruz, and near the Fountain of Carriedo. The Church was built by the Jesuits in 1768, then it was in the possession of the Dominican order.

When in July 1946 was officially proclaimed the independence of the Republic of the Philippines, in the former building of the Hospital of St. Lazarus is the office of the Department of Health.