OLD CITY HALL OF LUCENA

A Qualitative Research Report

In Partial Fulfillment
of the requirements for
ART APPRECIATION

By:
Rivera, John Ivan L.

March 2024
 HISTORY

Old City Hall of Lucena was established on March 9, 1910 during the first year term of

Former Municipal President of Lucena Feliciano Zoleta, municipal president was the term

used during the American Civil Government, it is now known as the City Mayor. The Old

City Hall is now 114 years old and it is still located at the same place, Tagarao Street,

Barangay 3, Lucena City. It survived World War II and many calamities. Old City Hall is now

considered heritage structures protected by the City of Lucena with the help of Lucena

Council for Culture and the Arts and the Office of the City Tourism.

Today Old City Hall is now the building for Museo de Lucena, is the place of collections,

documents and relics of the city’s cultural and artistic heritage, represented by artifacts

collected by local residents of Lucena City these past decades. And the Lucena City Library

is also located at the Old City Hall, the said library was relocated from Dalubhasaan ng

Lungsod ng Lucena to its new building the Old City Hall. Also, the Lucena Youth

Development Office is located at the Old City Hall.

To honor our National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal, a monument is built at the center of the Old City

Hall, during the past a national hero monument was usually built in municipality or town hall,

almost all text in the monument was written in Spanish. It was built on 28th of April 1924

during the term of Former Municipal President of Lucena José Nava. At the front of the

monument, it shows the date of death of Dr. Jose Rizal, December 30, 1896. Also there is a

message in front of the monument written in Spanish, “AL DR. RIZAL” means “TO DR.

RIZAL”, “EL PUEBLO DE LUCENA” means “THE VILLAGE OF LUCENA”, “BAJO

LOS AUSPICIOS DE CONCEJO MUNICIPAL Y LA SOCIEDAD” means ““UNDER THE

AUSPICES OF THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL AND THE SOCIETY”, This monument was

done or organized with the guidance of both local government and a organization called
“SIKAPKA DALAGAHAN”, they help and propose the monument. At the side of the

monument it shows the Administration of Lucena during 1924 and the contractor of the

monument.

Guide Questions:

1. Who is the Original Owner?

- Since it is a property of government, the owner of the Old City Hall of Lucena is the

municipal of Lucena, the one who handle this is the current City Mayor Mark Alcala.

2. Who built the Old City Hall and Dr. Rizal monument?

- Honorio Lanuza, he is well known before and part of the Philippines Masonry, he is the

contractor of Old City Hall

- Tomas Zamora is the contractor of Dr. Rizal Monument

3. When it was Established?

- Old City Hall was established on March 9, 1910

- Dr. Rizal Monument was built on April 28, 1924

4. Purpose of the Structure.

- Every municipality or town is required to build their own City Hall, it is the office of the

officials of the city, the different agency of the city, and to accommodate the needs of the

people

- Dr. Rizal Monument was built to give honor and respect for our national hero

5. Is there a change of ownership?

- There is no change of ownership because it was owned by the Government, however the

person that handle it is changing every term of the City Mayor.

6. Change of Function

- Before it operates all the transaction of the City of Lucena and it is the office of officials and

different agency of Lucena City. With relocation of the New City Hall, now it become Old

City Hall, the building is now used for the relocation of Museo de Lucena, City Library, and

Lucena Youth Development Office.

7. Architectural Characteristics

- Medium: Cement, Steel, Bricks, Wood, Glass, and Tiles

It has a repetitive design for every post in the outside part of the building
DOCUMENTATION: