Retrato Filipinas #12

La Iglesia Conventual de Santo Domingo de Manila
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Jorge B. Vargas Museum and Filipiniana Research Collection
College of Arts and Letters, UP Diliman 

"Frontispicio de la Iglesia conventual de Santo Domingo de Manila, reedificada despues del terremoto del 3 de Junio de 1863, siendo Provincial el M. R. P. Fr. Domingo Tresserra."

This is the beautiful front facade of the neo-Gothic Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros. 

Read more about the Santo Domingo Church here.

8 Great Churches of Intramuros: The Conclusion

The skyline of pre-war Intramuros was dominated by the domes and towers of different churches. Here you can see the dome of the Manila Cathedral on the left and the Neo-Gothic Santo Domingo Church on the right. You can also see the dome and the tower of the nearby Binondo Church as seen at a distance.
Life Photo Archive

Pre-war Intramuros boasted some of the best and most magnificent churches that exhibited three centuries worth of history and religious heritage in the Philippines. Treasures that remain a mere memory of the past, ravaged by the inexcusable destruction of the city in 1945. Out of all the eight churches, only one survived the destruction of the city. One was rebuilt. One was left in ruins. And all the rest were replaced by modern, soulless, box buildings or mediocre, cheap-looking, feeling old ones that are so out of place. Even though most of these churches are gone now, their legacy will always and forever be a part of our identity as Filipinos.

Intramuros panorama, c1916. The towers of San Agustin, San Ignacio and Santo Domingo. Manila Cathedral's dome can also be partially seen.
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Accomplishing this feature has surely taught me a lot of things. I felt a rush of pride and amazement as I was rummaging for photographs and information about these churches. I was always in awe and slightly heartbroken every time I looked at the data that I had collected. I was always so excited to publish it for the whole world to see.

The map I made below shows the proximity of the churches to one another. Oh, Visita Iglesia must have been so fun and convenient back then!  

1934 map showing all the 8 churches that once stood proudly in the walls of Intramuros. Only the Manila Cathedral and the San Agustin Church exist today.

In case you missed it, just click on the links below and... READ AWAY!

Manila Cathedral 

Santo Domingo Church

San Ignacio Church

San Agustin Church 

Lourdes Church 

Recoletos Church 

Chapel of the Franciscan Venerable Third Order

San Francisco Church

8 Great Churches of Intramuros: Manila Cathedral

Several structures over the course of history have been built, destroyed and rebuilt all over again. But would you believe me if I told you that there is one particular structure that had experienced that same cycle eight times?

The Manila Cathedral before the earthquake of 1880.
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The Manila Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica aka Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Concepcion or more commonly known as the Manila Cathedral is the central church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila which means the cathedra (bishop's throne) is housed here. Located in front of Plaza Roma, the cathedral is an imposing sight. On the right of the cathedral is the Ayuntamiento and on its left is the former Palacio del Gobernador, the two symbols of power in Spanish colonial Philippines. Through the papal bull, the Manila Cathedral was declared a minor basilica by Blessed Pope John Paul II in 1981 So what is the difference between a cathedral and a basilica? Read here.

The cathedral was originally named the Church of Manila in 1571. Miguel Lopez de Legazpi personally selected the land where the church will stand and was placed under the patronage of Sta. Potenciana.  In 1581, a royal decree ordered that a cathedral was to be built for the newly colonized city.

In 1581, the first cathedral made of nipa, wood and bamboo materials was completed. The weak materials were very prone to fire and because of this, fire completely razed the church to the ground in 1583. In 1592, the second cathedral made of stone was built but was destroyed again by an earthquake in 1600. The third cathedral was completed in 1614 but was destroyed by another earthquake in 1645.

Illustration of the fifth cathedral which was inspired by the Il Gesu in Rome.
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The construction of the splendid fourth cathedral began in 1654 and was completed in 1662 under Archbishop Poblete. In 1760, under the supervision of Florentine architect Fray Juan de Uguccioni, the new fifth cathedral was conceived. It was reconstructed and the new facade was patterned after the Il Gesu in Rome.

Fifth cathedral, 1790. The Plaza Mayor was not yet developed.
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The fifth cathedral showing Plaza Mayor with the statue of King Carlos IV, Ayuntamiento on the left and Palacio del Gobernador on the right, circa early 1800s.
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"The new cathedral was: admired by all who contemplate it; they never tire of wondering how in this distant land it has possible to apply the exact rules of such a stringent architectural form." -Fray Miguel Lino de Ezpeleta, 1757

The Neoclassical sixth cathedral, signed by Arch. Vicente Serrano.
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The sixth cathedral, probably during construction.
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The fifth cathedral was extremely damaged during the 1852 earthquake that rocked the city. Plans for the reconstruction of the sixth cathedral commenced and the new cathedral formally opened in 1858. Uguccioni's Baroque facade was replaced by a new Neoclassical one. The cathedral's dome was also replaced. From Uguccioni's box-like cupola, it was replaced by a circular one. The sixth cathedral was destroyed by another catastrophic earthquake in 1863 but the bell tower survived. The ruins of the church were cleared and plans for a new cathedral visualized. 

The seventh cathedral with the bell tower still standing.
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Another illustration of the seventh cathedral showing the Neo-Romanesque facade.
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The cathedral's beautiful pre-war interiors.
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Pre-war interior showing the beautifully adorned columns and ceiling of the cathedral.
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Pre-war interior showing the beautifully adorned columns and ceiling of the cathedral.
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The cathedral's retablo mayor. Compared to the other retablos of other Intramuros' churches, the cathedral had a simpler one.
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The seventh cathedral headed by Arch. Serrano followed the Neo-Romanesque/Byzantine style with an oriental mix. The church's interior was richly ornamented, sculptures and frescoes embellished every space. Renowned Filipino sculptor, Isabelo Tampinco, also did some work there. The cross atop the central dome of the cathedral was the reference point of astronomical longitudes of the archipelago, the kilometer zero. 

The damaged bell tower and the unscathed church. 
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The damaged bell tower after the 1880 earthquake.
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A vintage colored postcard showing the cathedral from the ruins of the old Palacio del Gobernador.
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Another vintage colored postcard.
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Another strong earthquake rocked the city in 1880. The bell tower which survived the 1863 earthquake, crumbled to the ground. The cathedral however, survived. This was the same earthquake that destroyed the left tower of San Agustin Church and the nearby Palacio del Gobernador. There was also a proposal for two twin towers for the cathedral but this was never executed.

Project for the construction of two twin towers for the Manila Cathedral, 1894.
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A towerless cathedral, c1900s.
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Plans for the tower's rebuilding surfaced but one tragic event made the restoration completely unattainable. It changed the fate of the Manila Cathedral and all the other structures in the city.

View from the ruins of the Palacio del Gobernador, c1890s to 1900s.
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Pre-war Manila Cathedral, c1890s to 1930s.
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The cathedral's central entrance portal, c1890s to 1930s. 
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The view of the cathedral from Plaza Mayor, c1890s to 1930s.
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A calesa and the Manila Cathedral, 1900s to 1930s.
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Another view of the cathedral showing the old site of the bell tower that's already been cleared.
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World War II broke out and completely destroyed the cathedral. Only the ruins of the facade survived. Unlike all the different churches in Intramuros, the Manila Cathedral was rebuilt from 1954 to 1958 headed by Arch. Fernando Ocampo. He retained the Neo-Romanesque facade adding a slender, quadrilateral bell tower near the church. Fortunately, the Manila Cathedral still exists today.

The devastation brought by war pulverized the centuries-old Intramuros. You can see the ruins of the Ayuntamiento on the left and the ruins of the Manila Cathedral on the right. Manila City Hall's clock tower as seen at a distance. 
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Remains of the Manila Cathedral after the Liberation of Manila, 1945.
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Ruins of the cathedral, late 1940s.
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Ruins of the cathedral, circa late 1940s to early 1950s.
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You can still see the amazing sculptures and carvings on the cathedral's front facade, late 1940s to early 1950s.
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Amidst the ruins, first Filipino archbishop Rufino Santos reads the historic pre-war plaque installed by the Historical Research  and Markers Committee, dated 1934.
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The Manila Cathedral is very historical indeed. It was rebuilt 8 times, it was once a Baroque church then it became a Neoclassical one then a Neo-Romanesque one, it was completely destroyed during the Liberation of Manila but rose back up again. From its humble beginnings, it grew and metamorphorsed to this glorious symbol of Filipino Catholicism, a monument of our religious heritage.

Construction of the eighth cathedral, 1952-1954.
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Post-war Manila Cathedral, 1973-1975. This is the church that we see today.
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Retrato Filipinas #6

The Burning of Santo Domingo by Fernando Amorsolo, 1946-1949.
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National Museum of the Philippines, Manila

"Amorsolo was able to capture on canvas the magnitude of the fire as well as the concerted effort of the firemen and the clergy to save the sanctuary. Noteworthy was his rendition of intensity of the fire through the application of hues, texture, and perspective, which were his trademarks. His early works such as this have a hyper-realistic style. One fine example of a historical painting, it depicts the destruction of the Sto. Domingo Church brought about by the tremendous fire (Japanese bombs) that occurred in the 1940s."

Read more about the Santo Domingo Church here.

8 Great Churches of Intramuros: San Agustin Church

San Agustin Church

The Augustinians' San Agustin Church is hailed as "The Mother of All Philippine Colonial Churches" primarily because of its centuries-old splendor and also being one of the few remaining churches in the Philippines that survived natural calamities, wars, and even Filipino negligence. Considered as the Philippines' first earthquake-proof building, it has endured several catastrophic earthquakes that rocked the city, proof of the church's strength and vigor to stand the test of time. It has been dubbed as a permanent miracle in stone. Oh, and did I mention that it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, under the title "Four Baroque Churches of the Philippines".

Augustinian Complex, 1713. The San Agustin Church on top, the attached convent (museum) on the center and the monastery (ruins) on the bottom left.
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The San Agustin Church is the oldest stone church in the country. Located along Calle General Luna cor. Calle Real, the present structure is actually the third church to be built in the same lot by the Augustinians. The two churches were both destroyed by fire in 1574 and 1584, respectively. In 1586, plans of constructing a church and an attached monastery made of stone were approved by the friars. Headed by Spaniard Juan Macías, the church was formally declared complete in 1606 and was originally named Iglesia y Convento de San Pablo (Church and Convent of St. Paul). 

San Agustin Church before the 1880 earthquake that destroyed the left bell tower.
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It has been said that the design of the church was derived from Augustinian churches in Mexico. In 1854, renovations were made under the supervision of Luciano Oliver. In 1863, an earthquake shook the city leaving everything into rubble but the San Agustin Church stood proudly as the only public building left undamaged. The church actually had two bell towers but the strong earthquake of 1880 damaged the church leaving a huge crack on the church's left bell tower. The crack was repaired, but the left tower was permanently removed as it appears today.

San Agustin Church after the 1880 earthquake. The earthquake damaged the left bell tower and left a crack on the church's facade that was eventually repaired.
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Late 1800s to early 1900s. The left bell tower is gone by this time.
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Showing a newly renovated facade, c1900s.  It still looks like this today.
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The simple and direct to the point facade of the church is in the High Renaissance style. People say that compared to its other neighbors, the church's facade "lacks grace and charm" and was also regarded as "boring". They even say that even the Augustinian friars were displeased with the design. The ornate carvings on its wooden doors are fine examples of Baroque touches that were applied to the church. Near the church's entrance, you'll notice granite sculptures of lions. These lions were gifts from the Chinese who converted to Catholicism.

View from Calle General Luna, c1900s.
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"The symmetrical composition is prefixed by pairs of Tuscan columns that flank the main door of the two-tiered facade. The vertical movement of the paired columns is adapted at the second level by equally paired Corinthian columns. At the second level, mass and void alternate in a simple rhythm of solid walls and windows. The two levels, emphasized by horizontal cornices, are then capped by a pediment that is accentuated with a simple rose window. The facade’s hard composition is held together by two towers; unfortunately, the missing left belfry further exaggerates the lackluster facade."

View of the altar from the nave. Notice the trompe-loeil murals on the walls and the ceiling.
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Intricately carved wooden doors on the church's main entrance.
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San Agustin Church choir and organ, c1912.
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If the exterior of the church was initially not well-received, things were different when it came to its interiors. The church's trompe-loeil walls and ceilings are considered a marvel in all of the country's colonial churches. Painted by Italian artists, Cesare Alberoni and Giovanni Dibella, they managed to sculpt and give life to the church's interiors using only their paint brushes. The church's retablo mayor and pulpit were impressive as well. The church also contains the remains of notable Filipino and Spanish people who have made their marks on history. The tombs of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, Juan de Salcedo, Martin de Goiti, Juan Luna and Pedro Paterno to name a few, are all buried here. The church's sacristy was also the place where the Spaniards surrendered to the Americans in 1898.

A vintage postcard showing the church and the attached monastery.
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Another miraculous moment occurred during the Liberation of Manila in 1945. The San Agustin Church was the only, I repeat ONLY, church that survived the bombs and the shelling of the Japanese and American forces. It only sustained damage on the roof and of course, bullet holes all over. However, the attached convent was bombed and but was rebuilt as a museum in the 1970s.

Chaos inside the church during World War II. The altar and the pulpit can be seen in this photograph.
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American soldiers and a priest praying (Mass, maybe?) in the church's courtyard after the Libertion of Manila, 1945.
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American soldiers and a priest amidst the ruins of Intramuros, 1945.
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Standing tall and proud, 1945. Manila City Hall can be seen in the background. Also, the ruins of the San Francisco Church and the VOT can be seen on the left.
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One can only appreciate the beauty and the history that wander the walls of the San Agustin Church. It truly is a marvel that this church is still standing today, looking as dignified as ever as it did 400 years ago. As Filipinos, we must be really thankful that this landmark was not taken away from us.