Historical Churches of Iloilo

Miagao Church, Iloilo, World Heritage Site

Miagao Church or Santo Tomas de Villanueva Parish Church

Miag-ao Church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with three other colonial Baroque churches under the collective title, Baroque Churches of the Philippines. Please follow this link for my article on Miagao Church: https://travelswithcharie.blogspot.com/2014/03/miag-ao-church.html

Fortress Towers of Miagao Church

Both belltowers are of unequal height and served as watchtowers following Islamic invasions in 1741 and 1754.

Main Altar, Miagao Church

The gold-plated retablo is the original altar used in the late 1700s and was found during excavations in 1982. A fire had ravaged the church in 1910 and it was believed the retablo had been razed as well.

Guimbal Church or San Nicolas de Tolentino

Guimbal Church is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. It was built in 1774 and restored twice, once after World War II and after the earthquake of 1948 which also destroyed the Jaro Cathedral.

Guimbal Church Wall

The Romanesque inspired walls of Guimbal Church have withstood the ravages of time.

Molo Church or Saint Anne Parish Church

The Molo Church is called the "feminist" church for the 16 statues of female saints on each side of the central nave. The belltowers and main altar are Neo Gothic in style. Saint Anne Parish Church has been around since 1831.

Jaro Cathedral or Nuestra Señora de Candelaria

The Jaro Cathedral or Nuestra Señora de Candelaria was constructed in 1874 in the Romanesque Revival style. It was damaged by an earthquake in 1948 and restored in 1956. This church has been proclaimed a National Shrine by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. The feast of Our Lady of Candles is celebrated annually in February.

Choir loft of Jaro Cathedral

The interior of the Jaro Cathedral is finely decorated with frescoes such as the one depicted above the choir loft.

Where to stay:

Seda Atria Hotel

Donata Pison Avenue, Iloilo City

sedahotels.com

Convenient location, choice of restaurants and shops next door at The Shops at Atria, Iloilo Business Park and Convention Center are 5 minutes away, easy parking.

*****

Images by TravelswithCharie

The Art of Carlos Botong Francisco - Progress of Medicine in the Philippines

Pre-colonial period Pag-unlad ng Panggagamot sa Pilipinas (The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines) is a group of four large-scale paintings depicting healing practices in the Philippines from pre-colonial times to the modern period. Carlos Botong Francisco was commissioned in 1953 by Dr. Agerico Sison who was then the director of Philippine General Hospital (PGH) together with Dr. Eduardo Quisumbing of the National Museum, Dr. Florentino Herrera, Jr. and Dr. Constantino Manahan. These oil on canvas paintings measure 2.92 meters in height and 2.76 meters in width (9.71 ft x 8.92 ft) and were displayed at the main entrance hall of PGH for over five decades. Owing to its location, the artworks were in a state of "severe deterioration" at the beginning of the 21st century from exposure to heat, humidity, dirt, dust, smoke, insect stains, grime, termites and an oxidized synthetic resin used in an earlier restoration. These canvases were restored three times, the last was...

Filipino Struggles in History - Carlos Botong Francisco

In 1968, Antonio Villegas (then Mayor of Manila), commissioned Carlos "Botong" Francisco to paint the history of Manila for Manila City Hall. The series of large scale paintings was called Kasaysayan ng Maynila (History of Manila). The paintings deteriorated over time and no attempt was made to preserve these historical canvases until 2013 when Mayor Amado Lim sent them to the National Museum for extensive restoration. Four years later, in 2017, Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada and the Manila City Council signed an agreement with the National Museum to leave the paintings at the museum so they may reach a larger audience in exchange for museum grade reproductions to replace the originals. Kasaysayan ng Maynila was later renamed Filipino Struggles in History and is now on display at the Senate Hall of the National Museum . Carlos "Botong" Francisco died in March 1969, a few months after completing the paintings. He is one of the first Filipino modernists and...

The Painted Monasteries of Bucovina

Church of the Beheading of St. John, Arbore Monastery Tucked away in the northeastern corner of Romania lies the enchanting region of Bucovina, home to a treasure trove of stunning monasteries. The Painted Monasteries of Bucovina, collectively a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a testament to the region's rich history, spirituality and artistic genius. One of the most visited monasteries in Bucovina is Voronet. It was commissioned by Stefan the Great, Voivode of Moldova and one of its most admired rulers. Moldova was a medieval state that once encompassed parts of present-day Romania, Ukraine, and Moldova. Voronet was built in 1488 to commemorate his victory over the Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Vaslui and it was miraculously completed in three months time. Succeeding princes of Moldova continued the construction of more magnificent monasteries. The exterior walls of these structures were adorned with intricate frescoes, depicting biblical scenes, saints, and...

TravelswithCharie

Search This Blog