This is Asia's oldest university. The campus was built in 1611 and has different historic buildings and open spaces, especially the all-walking square, giving visitors a sense of being in a European city. Many of its faculty projects are the first to be offered in the Philippines. This is a must-see for first-time and non-first-time visitors in Manila. St. Thomas University is the oldest university in the Philippines or Southeast Asia, built during the Spanish colonial period.