The castle and the lion

The abbreviated Spanish coat of arms above the main entrance of Fort Santiago, built in the late 16th century soon after the conquest of the islands. The major elements are the Pillars of Hercules, the Spanish royal crown, the lion rampant of the Kingdom of León and the tower of the Kingdom of Castile. Philip II was the king of Spain at the time, which is why the islands were called Las Islas Filipinas.