Lopez Heritage House

The Lopez Heritage House or otherwise known as the Nelly's Gardens is a national heritage house built in 1928 located at Jaro, Iloilo by an Ilonggo statesman Don Vicente Lopez and his wife, Doña Elena Hofileña. The mansion was named after the couple's eldest daughter, Lilia Lopez y Hofileña. Due to its grandiose architecture highlighting the province's aristocratic past, it is regaled as the Queen of Heritage Houses in Iloilo. In March 28, 2004, it was declared as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Institute.

At present, the house, with its 4-hectare sprawling property, stands as an important cultural icon of the district and is generally open for public tours and events.

History

An illustrious Ilonggo philanthropist and statesman by the name of Vicente Lopez used to live near the Jaro Cathedral with his wife, Elena Hofilena, but the constant sound of the cannons fired during religious activities during those times eventually led to the family's decision to transfer their home to a more peaceful location. They eventually settled in a four-hectare land, approximately one kilometer away from the town center. The construction of the mansion was finished by 1928, and the couple decided to name the house in honor of their eldest daughter.

During the Second World War, the mansion was very nearly burned down to the ground by Filipino guerillas commandeered by an Ilonggo General to burn raze every mansion in the province as to prevent it from serving as the headquarters for the invading Japanese soldiers. This is part of the Scorched Earth policy adapted by the guerillas to fight off the enemies. The current occupants Lilia Lopez-Jison (of which the house was named) and her husband begged the guerillas to spare the house. Just as kerosene is poured around the place, a squad of Japanese soldiers came and a heavy gunfight ensued. By the end of the war, the house survived in one piece.

In its lifetime, the house served as a venue for elegant parties and meetings attended by history's renowned figures like American Governor-Generals including Frank Murphy and Teddy Roosevelt Jr., Thailand's Prince Chupra, Former First Lady Imelda Marcos and late president Cory Aquino.

Due to its cultural and architectural prominence, the National Historical Institute placed a historical marker on it, declaring it to be a National Heritage House on March 28, 2004.

Architecture

The house is a classic example of Beaux-Arts mansion with its decorative enhancement largely influenced by Western aesthetics evident on its facade. It is designed to portray the extravagant lifestyle of Iloilo's most affluent families during the American period. Profusely adorned with ornately-carved columns and pilasters, the house is constructed to look imposing outside just as it does inside. Two set of wooden stairs lead to the family cavernous common room where most of the furniture and paintings are placed. Even the poster beds in its rooms at the second floor are carefully preserved for public viewing. High up in the ceiling are crystal chandeliers that give off a soft, warm glow, illuminated the wooden brandishing that serves as an elaborate divider to each room.

In the centerpiece of the dining room is a hexagonal table which can sit up to twenty-four guests. A huge chandelier hangs from the ceiling which is fifteen-feet high. The door-length windows allows the light to get inside the room, creating a bright atmosphere as the guests dine together.