Do you know their love story? It’ s a story with a not-so-happy ending, but a story that must be told nevertheless. So here’s a glimpse of how this living story came to be:
It is all about how Don Mariano Lacson showed his great love for his wife, Maria Braganza who died in 1911.
In the year 1911, the couple had 10 children before. Soon, Maria was pregnant with their eleventh child, but she slipped in the bathroom and bled profusely. Mariano asked one of his servants to fetch a doctor in the nearby town of Silay, but the doctor came too late. Maria was dead. Because of this accident, it left Don Mariano to feel heartbroken thus deciding to, later on, build a mansion in remembrance of his dear wife in a 440–hectare sugar plantation in Talisay, Bacolod City.
The Ruins, or the Nutsberry Garden, was built in 1920 but was burned in 1942 by Filipino guerilla who was against Don Mariano’s approval of letting in some Japanese Soldiers during the seat of the World War II. The mansion itself was made from a mixture of sand, cement and egg white, thus making the establishment withstand any calamity or disaster. It is known as the Taj Mahal of Negros where the entity of the said establishment was designed by an Italian architect.
The mansion itself was left to burn for three days but had not consumed all of the entity of the said establishment. What makes this is establishment special is that two-letter M(M for Maria and Mariano) facing each other, were molded on every post of the mansion, leaving behind reminders of a glorious and colorful past that can still be seen up to present.
At the front of the property is a vast yard where there are a huge water fountain and different colored flowers. At the side of the property are a grotto, cafe, pizzeria, and a souvenir shop. At the back, there is a mini-golf and chess area.
It’s a not-to-be-missed tourist attraction and, no doubt, a certified Instagrammable place; its romantic ambiance is still felt by its visitors. True love endures.
The entrance fee is updated as of January 2020.
*Adult: P100.00
*Senior Citizen/PWD: P70.00
*Students: P60.00
*Children below 8 yrs old: P20.00
How to Get to The Ruins:
There are three ways to get to the Ruins. I’ll start with the cheapest to the most expensive.
*Walk to the main gate of the airport, to the Guimbalaon-Silay downtown road, and take a tricycle to Silay City downtown. It costs P50 if you’re alone or P10 if you’re sharing the ride with other passengers. From there, take a jeepney going to Bacolod. I’m not sure if this jeepney will pass by the Bata area or if you will need to take another ride going there but you should find your way to the Pepsi Bottling Plant in the Bata area. Tricycles are waiting there that are ready to take you straight to the Ruins, P7.
*At the airport, take the shuttle to Bacolod and find your way to the Pepsi Bottling Plant and take a trike to the Ruins. The shuttle ride is P100 per person.
*Take a cab and tell the driver to take you to the Ruins. The fare should be from P250-P300.
Presently, the family of the grandson of Mercedes, Mr.Raymund Javellana, owns and manages the Ruins. Located at Hacienda Sta. Maria, Talisay City