Zamboanga city earned the moniker "Asia's Latin City", old colonial edifies that are great reminders of the Spanish colonial era are still well-preserved here and are great tourist attractions. For history & culture buffs, Fort Pilar is a major heritage site worth visiting. Originally built by the Spaniards to defend Zamboanga against pirates, the Fort is now a shrine for devotees of the Lady of Pilar, the city’s patron saint. The Zamboanga National Museum located within Fort Pilar houses paintings, cultural memorabilia, and antiques from centuries of rich local history.