The
"discovery" of the Philippines took place on March 28,
1521, the day Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese navigator on the
service of the Spanish crown, landed on Limasawa, a 5-square-mile
island at the southern tip of Leyte mainland.
In 1595, the Jesuit established the first mission in Leyte. At this time, there were only 19 pueblos with 70,000 people whom the missionaries converted to Christianity, easing the settlement of the province by Spanish conquestadores. The Jesuit mission was abandoned when the order was expelled from the Philippines in 1768.
The terrain of the province is relatively flat to gently rolling and becoming mountainous and rough towards the center where a mountain ranges begins.
This Cordillera is divided the province in its eastern and western plains. Peaks of approximately 2,295 to 3,280 feet high extent from the north to south. Leyte's total land area is 5,71208 square kilometers.
Visit the Gen. Douglas MacArthur landing memorial at the Red Beach, Palo, Leyte. The Monument marking the spot where General MacArhtur landed with the Liberation Forces. The lagoon where the statues of the liberators stand 1.5 times bigger than the life-size. Explore the beautiful beach, Leyte Gulf and Samar Island plus the 50th Leyte Landing Anniversary Commemorative Rock Garden.
Another attraction is the Battle of Buluarte Marker. Located at Buluarte., Brgy. Minuhang, Barugo, Leyte; 52 kms. from Tacloban City. Site of the historic battle between Filipino guerillas and Japanese Imperial forces at dawn of August 24, 1944. It is significant because there was no Filipino casualty while all the Japanese except one were killed in the encounter.
