CAMPUS MANILLA

DID YOU KNOW: STOCKHOLM HAS ITS OWN MANILA?

Hidden on a royal island in the heart of Stockholm, a piece of the Philippines has survived for over two centuries.

The Estate of Manilla

In 1565, the Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi led an expedition that established Spain’s rule over the Philippines. Manila became a key hub in global trade.

More than two centuries later, on the other side of the world, the name of this would resurface in an unexpected place.

In 1790, King Gustav III granted land on Djurgården to Ignacio María del Coral y Aguirre, Spain’s envoy to Sweden. There, on the island’s green waterfront, del Coral named his estate “Manilla,” after the distant colonial capital. He laid out a park and began constructing buildings, envisioning a grand residence.

But the project was never completed. After Gustav III’s assassination in 1792, del Coral lost his patron and left Sweden. The unfinished estate gradually fell into decline and was later divided into three parts: Upper Manilla, Lower Manilla, and nearby Manhem. Much of the current built environment dates from later 19th-century development, including the main stone building that still stands today.

The name, however, endured. It remains visible in local street names such as Manillavägen and Nedre Manilla, just a short walk from Skansen.

A transformation to promote education

In the early 19th century, educator Pär Aron Borg established pioneering education for deaf and hearing-impaired children, which later became associated with the Manilla site. Manillaskolan would go on to play a central role in Swedish special education for more than two centuries.

In 2013, the school relocated, and a new institution moved into the historic setting.

Campus Manilla opened in 2013 as an independent, publicly funded school with admission based on queue rather than selection. Demand is extremely high, with families often registering years in advance. Today, around 500 students attend from primary through secondary level.

The school gained widespread attention when Princess Estelle, daughter of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, enrolled in 2018, followed by her brother, Prince Oscar. Since then, it has attracted families from across Stockholm’s public, business, and cultural life. One parent reportedly described the school community as representing “a significant portion of Sweden’s GDP.”

The school has also faced scrutiny. In 2023, the Swedish Schools Inspectorate raised concerns about grading practices.

Remnants of Manila

Today, Campus Manilla has no direct connection to Filipino culture or community. Yet the name remains - a quiet link between Stockholm and Manila, stretching across more than two centuries.