SPANISH COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE IN THE PHILIPPINES

Spanish colonization introduced European architecture into the country. The influence of European
architecture and its style came via the Antilles through the Manila Galleon. The most legacy of Spain in
terms of architecture was its colonial churches which were designed by anonymous friar.

 Bahay na Bato
 The Bahay Na Bato, the Colonian Filipino House, is a mixture of native Filipino, Spanish and
Chinese influences.
 In Vigan, Ilocos Sur, excellently preserved examples of the houses of the noble Filipinos can be
admired.
 In Taal, Batangas, the main street is still ligned with examples of the traditional Filipino homes.

Ivatan House
Vigan’s Old Spanish Colonial Houses

Taal Heritage Houses

 Fort Santiago
 Fort Santiago (Fuerza de Santiago) is a defense fortress built for Spanish conquistador, Miguel
López de Legazpi.
 The fort is part of the structures of the walled city of Intramuros, in Manila, Philippines.
 The location of Fort Santiago was also once the site of the palace and kingdom of Rajah Suliman,
chieftain of Manila of pre-Spanish era.
 It was destroyed by the conquistadors upon arriving in 1570, encountering several bloody
battles with the Muslims and native Tagalogs.
 The Spaniards destroyed the native settlements and erected Fuerza de Santiago in 1571.

 Intramuros
 Intramuros, located along the southern bank of the Pasig River, was built by the Spaniards in the
16th century and is the oldest district of the city of Manila.
 Its name, taken from the Latin, intra muros, literally "Within the walls", meaning within the wall
enclosure of the city/fortress, also describes its structure as it is surrounded by thick, high walls
and moats.
 During the Spanish colonial period, Intramuros was considered Manila itself.

Walled City of Manila (Intramuros)

  Paco Park
 Paco Park was planned as a municipal cemetery for the well off and established aristocratic
Spanish families who resided in the old Manila, or the city within the walls of Intramuros during
the Spanish colonial era.
 The cemetery is circular in shape, with an inner circular fort that was the original cemetery and
with the niches that were placed or located within the hollow walls.
 The cemetery was built in the late 1700s but was completed several decades later and in 1822,
the cemetery was used to inter victims of a cholera epidemic that swept across the city.

 During three hundred years of Spanish colonialization the Philippine architecture was
dominated by the Spanish culture. During this period Intramuros, the walled city, of Manila, was
built with its walls, houses, churches and fortresses. The Augustinian friars built many grand
churches all over the Philippine Islands. During this period, the traditional Filipino "Bahay na
Bato" style for the large mansion emerged. These were large houses built of stone and wood
combining Filipino, Spanish and Chinese style elements. The best preserved examples of these
houses can be found in Vigan, Ilocos Sur and Taal, Batangas.

SPANISH COLONIAL CHURCHES

Philippine colonial churches are unique in their own sense. Some of the best-preserved colonial
churches in the country are found in the Ilocos Regions, as well as those in the provinces of Laguna
and Batangas, as well as the Visayan islands of Panay, Cebu and Bohol.

1. The Cathedral of San Pedro and San Pablo was started to be constructed in 1761. It is the
biggest colonial church to be built by the Spanish in Cagayan and became the pattern of what is
called as the “main Cagayan style” of Spanish churches in the province, and in Nueva Vizcaya
and Isabela.

2. Binondo's Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz was first built sometime in the 18th century. It was
damaged during the British invasion of 1762, repaired and improved, damaged again during the
1863 earthquake, repaired, and restored and improved from 1946 until 1971.

3. St. John the Baptist Parish Church (Filipino: Simbahan ng Parokya ni San Juan Bautista),
commonly known as Calamba Church, is the oldest Roman Catholic church in Calamba, Laguna,
Philippines under the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo. It is located adjacent to Rizal Shrine
and is known as the christening site of José Rizal.
Dr. Jose Rizal was baptized in this church on 22 June 1861 by Fr. Rufino Collantes. During World
War II, the fleeing Japanese soldiers herded Calamba’s residents inside the church and then
burned it down in what became known as the Calamba Massacre. The church was rebuilt after
the war.