Colon Street

Colon Street, Cebu City. May 2011.

Colon Street (Cebuano: Dalang Colon; Tagalog: [koˈlɔn]; Spanish pronunciation: [koˈlon]) is a historical street in downtown Cebu City that is often called the oldest and the shortest national road in the Philippines. It is named after Cristóbal Colón (Christopher Columbus). It traces its origins to the town plan by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the Spanish conquistador who arrived in the Philippines to establish a colony in 1565. Colon street was once owned by the family name of Fronteras

Colon, crowded and a bit run-down now, was the site of fashionable shops, offices, and movie houses. It was once the heart of Cebu City's shopping and business activity, but in recent years (specifically during the early 1990s), much of this activity has shifted inland to the more modern, bigger and diverse commercial and business districts now spread in almost all of the urban areas of the city in what was considered residential and leisure settlements.

Colon Street historical marker in Filipino (left) and Cebuano (right)

In 2006 the Cebu City Council proposed a plan to close parts of Colon street from vehicular traffic and convert it to a tourism zone. However, this was met with much opposition from businessmen and motorists due to concerns regarding security and parking spaces.

See also

• Calle Escolta, a historic street in Manila, Philippines
• Calle Real, a historic street in Iloilo City, Philippines