San Agustin Church

The oldest existing church in the Philippines is San Agustin Church, an Augustinian Roman Catholic church completed in 1607. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, San Agustin Church is a fine example of medieval baroque and High-Renaissance architecture in the Philippines. It is an exact reproduction of the Puebla Cathedral in Mexico and it contains artifacts valuable to world history. Among these are altarpieces from different centuries and burial sites of famous Spanish conquistadors.

The baroque altar of San Agustin Church (Photo by Shubert Ciencia)

History

The present church is actually the third structure built on the site. The first church, constructed in 1571 by the Spaniards, was made of nipa and bamboo. The second one, made of wood, was also destroyed by fire like the first one. Today’s church was made by the Augustinians, using stones quarried from Rizal province and following the design of the Spanish architect Juan Macias. Before to St. Augustine, the church was first dedicated to St. Paul.

Following the Spanish-American War, San Agustin Church became the site of Spanish Governor-General Fermin Juadenes’ surrender of Manila to the Americans. During WWII, the church functioned as a concentration camp for prisoners. Hundreds were held hostage and were killed by the Japanese inside the church. The church’s elliptical foundation enabled it to withstand earthquakes and bombings, which destroyed other churches in Manila.

Features

Classified as a baroque church by UNESCO and a historical landmark by the Philippine government, San Agustin Church has a lackluster façade but it has an ornately carved baroque wooden door, a courtyard bedecked by granite lion sculptures, hand-carved molave (tropical hardwood) seats from the 17th century, 14 side chapels, a church interior shaped like a Latin cross, and a trompe-l’oeil ceiling rendered by Italian painters Giovanni Dibella and Cesare Alberoni.

Collections

Near the main altar is a vault containing the bones of Spanish conquistadors Martin de Goiti, Juan de Salcedo and Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, as well as some of the early Spanish archbishops and governor-generals that ruled in the Philippines. Also within the church are the crypts of national artist and painter Juan Luna and statesmen Trinidad Pardo de Tavera and Pedro A. Paterno. The church’s image of the Our Lady of Consolation was blessed by the late Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jaime Sin, one of the pioneers of the 1986 EDSA Revolution.

San Agustin Church Museum

Next to the church is its namesake quadrangular museum (P100 adults, discounts for students and seniors), a former Augustinian monastery. Designed by the Filipino architect Angel Nakpil, the two-storey gallery has 10 spacious halls containing mostly artifacts belonging to the Franciscans and the Augustinians like Catholic religious items, crucifixes, 18th century horse-drawn carriages used during Holy Week processions, vestments and paintings. The museum was destroyed by the British in 1762, Americans in 1898, and in 1945 by both the Americans and Japanese before its 1973 restoration.

Shopping and dining

Since San Agustin Church is a famous wedding venue, parallel to it are a number of Spanish colonial-inspired restaurants and shops like Barbara’s, Ilustrado and Silahis Center.

How to get there

Located at the corner of Calle Gen. Luna and Calle Real, San Agustin Church can be accessed by foot, pedicab (bicycle with sidecar), tricycle or taxi from Intramuros’ entrance beside Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. Jeepneys and FX shared taxis with tags going to Pier 15 also pass by Intramuros. If you are to ride one, ask to be dropped off in front the Manila Cathedral. Calle Real is directly on the right side of the cathedral. From there, you can walk through the street and just ask where San Agustin Church is located.

Fees and opening hours

The church is open daily, from 7 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The museum is open every day, from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Telephone: (0)2 527 4060.

Tags: Attractions, Church, Day trip, Historical, Manila