Visitors to the Philippines can now take a look inside the lavish lifestyle once enjoyed by Imelda Marcos after one of her palatial homes was opened to the public. The sprawling mansion, which is found in the southern city of Tacloban, is a testament to the former First Lady's opulent tastes.
A huge mural showing Imelda rising out of the sea greets guests as they arrive in the main hall. The expansive bathroom meanwhile features a large Jacuzzi, and the dining room table is big enough to seat 30. Her bedroom, with its harp and chandeliers, is equally extravagant and the basement storeroom, which was home to her legendary shoe collection - over 2,000 pairs in total - was dubbed "the department store" by her staff.
The Steel Butterfly, as she was known, has often been criticised for building the Santa Niño residence when the rest of Tacloban languished in desperate poverty. She insisted the huge mansion was intended as a monument to the people of her country, however.
Imelda's husband Ferdinand ruled The Philippines for over 20 years. But the family was forced to flee to Hawaii in 1986 when the Marcos regime was toppled in a revolution. After returning to her country to pursue a career in politics, the one-time beauty queen was arrested and charged with plundering the nation's coffers to the tune of $5 billion. She was acquitted of the charges in 1990. |
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