Baroque Churches of the Philippines

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UNESCO World Heritage Site
Baroque Churches of the Philippines
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List
Sta. Maria Church, Ilocos Sur.jpg
Type Cultural
Criteria ii, iv
Reference 677
UNESCO region Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription 1993 (17th Session)

The Baroque Churches of the Philippines is a collection of four Spanish-era churches in the Philippines, which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993.[1] They are also one of the most treasured in the Country.[2] The Philippines, following its ratification of the convention on Thursday, September 19, 1985, made its historical and natural sites eligible for inclusion on the list. The Philippines had its first sites included in 1993, and since 1999, has six sites on the list spanning nine locations. Of those six sites, three are cultural and three natural. In 2015, the 28 sites in the 'Tentative List' were revised. Currently, the Tentative List for possible nomination in the future contains nineteen submissions.

The collection is composed of the following:

The Church of the Immaculate Conception of San Agustín was the first church built on the island of Luzon in 1571, immediately after the Spanish conquest of Manila. A site within the district of Intramuros was assigned to the Augustinian Order, the first to evangelize in the Philippines. In 1587 the impermanent earliest building in wood and palm fronds was replaced by a stone church and monastery in stone, the latter becoming the Augustinian mother house in the Philippines. It was the only structure in Intramuros to survive the liberation of Manila in 1945. Miag-ao became an independent parish in 1731, when a simple church and convento were built. However, destruction of the town by Muslim pirates in 1741 and 1754 led to the town being rebuilt in a more secure location. The new church, constructed in 1787-97, was built as a fortress, to withstand further incursions. It was, however, damaged severely by fire during the revolution against Spain in 1898 and in the Second World War. Two bell towers were added in 1854, but the northern one cracked in the 1880 earthquake and had to be demolished. In the interior of the church the wall paintings date from the 19th century, but they overlie the original tempera murals. As a result, the church was richly endowed, with a fine retablo, pulpit, lectern and choir-stalls. Of special interest is the series of crypto-collateral chapels lining both sides of the nave. The walls separating them act as buttresses. The stone barrel vault, dome, and arched vestibule are all unique in the Philippines. A monastery complex was formerly linked to the church by a series of cloisters, arcades, courtyards and gardens, but all except one building were destroyed in 1945.

Unlike other town churches in the Philippines, which conform to the Spanish tradition of sitting them on the central plaza, the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion in Santa Maria with its convento are on a hill surrounded by a defensive wall. Also unusual are the sitting of the convento parallel to the facade of the church and that of the separate bell tower (characteristic of Philippine-Hispanic architecture) at the midpoint of the nave wall. This was dictated by the hill on which it is located The brick church follows the standard Philippine layout, with a monumental facade masking a straight roof-line covering a long rectangular building. It is alleged to be built on a solid raft as a precaution against earthquake damage. The walls are devoid of ornament but have delicately carved side entrances and strong buttresses

The Church of San Agustín at Paoay is the most outstanding example in the Philippines of 'Earthquake Baroque'. Fourteen buttresses are ranged along the lines of a giant volute supporting a smaller one and surmounted by pyramidal finials. A pair of buttresses at the midpoint of each nave wall have stairways for access to the roof. The lower part of the apse and most of the walls are constructed of coral stone blocks, the upper levels being finished in brick, but this order is reversed on the facade. The massive coral stone bell tower, which was added half a century after the church was completed, stands at some distance from the church, again as a protection against damage during earthquakes.

The Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva stands on the highest point of Miag-ao, its towers serving as lookouts against Muslim raids. It is the finest surviving example of 'Fortress Baroque'. The sumptuous facade epitomizes the Filipino transfiguration of western decorative elements, with the figure of St Christopher on the pediment dressed in native clothes, carrying the Christ Child on his back, and holding on to a coconut palm for support. The entire riotously decorated facade is flanked by massive tapering bell towers of unequal heights.

The Philippines, a country with hundreds of historical churches, is promoted to be more active in the engagement of the National Government and concerned private and public entities to establish more UNESCO designated Church Heritage Sites in the Philippines to safeguard national treasures more effectively and to promote the country's booming tourism further.

The current official tentative sites for extension are the following:

Former tentative sites:

Preservation

National Cultural Treasures

Aside from these five churches, another church which is inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List is the Vigan Cathedral under the inscription Historic Town of Vigan. The Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has also designated the conservation and protection of more than 30 other Spanish-era churches to be of utmost importance. These were registered as National Cultural Treasures.

These churches were given priority status not just due to their historical value, but also based on the geographic representation of various regions across the nation:

File:San Agustin 1.JPG
The interior of the San Agustín Church in Intramuros (Manila).
  1. Parish Church of San Agustin in Bacong, Negros Oriental
  2. Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception in Balayan, Batangas
  3. Santiago Apostol Parish Church in Betis, Guagua, Pampanga
  4. Parish Church of Patrocinio de Maria in Boljoon, Cebu 2
  5. Parish Church of Saint Rose of Lima in Gamu, Isabela
  6. Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Calasiao, Pangasinan
  7. Parish Church of San Vicente de Ferrer in Dupax del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya
  8. Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception in Guiuan, Eastern Samar 1,2
  9. Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan
  10. Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental
  11. Parish Church of San Juan Bautista in Jimenez, Misamis Occidental
  12. Parish Church of San Isidro Labrador in Lazi, Siquijor 2
  13. Parish Church of San Pedro and San Pablo in Loboc, Bohol 1,2
  14. Parish Church of Santa Catalina de Alejandria in Luna, La Union
  15. Parish Church of San Carlos Borromeo in Mahatao, Batanes
  16. Parish Church of San Guillermo de Aquitania in Magsingal, Ilocos Sur
  17. Parish Church of San Gregorio Magno in Majayjay, Laguna
  18. Parish Church of the Assumption of Our Lady in Maragondon, Cavite 1
  19. Parish Church of San Andres in Masinloc, Zambales
  20. Parish Church of Santa Monica in Panay, Capiz
  21. Cathedral of San Jose in Romblon, Romblon
  22. Parish Church of San Joaquin in San Joaquin, Iloilo
  23. Parish Church of San Juan Bautista in Tabaco City, Albay
  24. Parish Church of San Ildefonso in Tanay, Rizal
  25. Parish Church of San Pablo in San Pablo, Isabela
  26. Basilica of St Michael the Archangel in Tayabas, Quezon
  27. Parish Church of Santa Catalina de Alejandria in Tayum, Abra
  28. Parish Church of San Matias in Tumauini, Isabela 2
  29. Parish Church of Santa Cruz in Maribojoc, Bohol
  30. Parish Church of San Andres Apostol in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte
  31. Camarin de la Virgen, Parish Church of Nuestra Sra. De los Desamparados in Sta. Ana, Manila
  32. Parish Church of Our Lady of the Gate (Eastern & Western Facades, Belfry and Baptistry) in Daraga, Albay
  33. Parish Church of Our Lady of Light in Loon, Bohol
  34. Parish Church of Santa Monica in Minalin, Pampanga
  35. Parish Church of San Nicolas de Tolentino in Dimiao, Bohol

Important Cultural Properties

  1. Parish of the Holy Sacrifice in UP Diliman, Quezon City

National Historical Landmarks

  1. Abucay Church Historical Landmark in Abucay, Bataan
  2. Barasoain Church Historical Landmark in Malolos, Bulacan
  3. Church of Baler Historical Landmark in Baler, Aurora
  4. Lubao Church Historical Landmark in Lubao, Pampanga
  5. Chapel of the Holy Sacrifice in UP Diliman, Quezon City
  6. San Sebastian Church Historical Landmark (Quiapo, Manila)
  7. Calamba Church Historical Landmark in Calamba City, Laguna
  8. Church of Paete in Paete, Laguna
  9. Taal Church Historical Landmark in Taal, Batangas
  10. Cathedral of Boac Historical Landmark in Boac, Marinduque
  11. Quipayo Church Historical Landmark in Calabanga, Camarines Sur
  12. Barotac Nuevo Church, Convent and Cemetery Historical Landmark in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo
  13. Dumangas Church Historical Landmark in Dumangas, Iloilo
  14. Ermita Chapel Historical Landmark in Dumangas, Iloilo
  15. Jaro Belfry Historical Landmark in Jaro, Iloilo City
  16. Molo Church Historical Landmark in Molo, Iloilo City
  17. Baclayon Church Historical Landmark in Baclayon, Bohol 1
  18. Church and Convent of Santo Niño in Cebu City
  19. Church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepcion Historical Landmark in Argao, Cebu
  20. Church of San Guillermo de Aquitania Historical Landmark in Dalaguete, Cebu
  21. Church of the Most Holy Trinity Historical Landmark in Loay, Bohol
  22. Maasin Church in Maasin City, Southern Leyte

1 On August 15, 1993, these churches, along with the one in Baclayon, Bohol were nominated for World Heritage Site status as part of the Jesuit Churches of the Philippines.
2 On May 16, 2006, the NCCA nominated a new set of churches as part of the extension of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines World Heritage Site. With the inclusion of two churches from the Jesuit Churches nomination, these two proposals will likely be combined.

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Baroque Churches of the Philippines. UNESCO World Heritage Site

External links

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