Manila Cathedral

Location: The church is located in the Intramuros district of Manila, and the specific address is Cabildo Street, Manila, National Capital Region, 1002.
Opening hours: The church is open every day, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Admission: The church is free to enter
Reasons to visit: An important religious and historical attraction of the Philippines

The Manila Cathedral, officially known as the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, is the largest and oldest Catholic church in the Philippines, and the seat of the Archdiocese of Manila. It is located in the Intramuros district of Manila, and is an important religious and historical attraction, as well as the patronal church of the Immaculate Conception.

Church History

The history of the Manila Cathedral can be traced back to the 16th century, when the Spanish colonizers established the first Catholic church in the Philippines. The original church was made of nipa and bamboo, and was built in 1581, but it was soon destroyed by typhoons and fires.

The second church was made of stone, and was built in 1592, but it was ruined by an earthquake in 1600. The third church was started in 1614, but it was also destroyed by another earthquake in 1645.

The fourth church was the most magnificent one, and was built from 1654 to 1671, with a Baroque style design, featuring seven chapels, fourteen altars, and a 45-meter-high bell tower. This church was severely damaged by a major earthquake in 1863, and another earthquake in 1880 demolished the bell tower.

The fifth church was built from 1870 to 1879, with a neoclassical style design, featuring three naves, two aisles, and a new bell tower. This church was bombed by the Japanese army in the Battle of Manila in 1945, leaving only the bell tower and some walls.

The current church is the sixth one, and was built from 1954 to 1958, with a Romanesque revival style design, featuring five naves, ten chapels, and a new bell tower. This church was consecrated by Pope John Paul II as a minor basilica in 1981, and became the first basilica in the Philippines.

Highlights of the church

In front of the church is the Plaza de Roma, which used to be a bullfighting arena, and next to it is the ruins of the city hall. Horse-drawn carriages pass by the church entrance from time to time, adding a touch of quaintness.

The church has a majestic and splendid exterior, with three huge arches on top of a series of steps, six white statues of saints on the front wall, and two cute little angels and a solemn cross carved on the top. If you look closely at the arches, you will see fine patterns carved on the progressively layered door tops.

Above the main door of the church, there is a lintel with a Latin inscription, which means "This is the temple of the Immaculate Conception, she is the patroness of the Philippines, this is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Manila". On both sides of the lintel, there are two statues, namely Saint Rose and Saint Lawrence, who are the patron saints of Manila.

As you enter the church, the spacious space and the golden tone are very impressive. A gilded altar, an organ with 4,500 pipes, and a rose-shaped window with exquisite stained glass are all worth admiring. There is also the most famous chapel of the Immaculate Conception, located at the back of the church, which is the main altar. There are also three smaller chapels on the side of the cathedral, which have beautiful mosaic decorations.

On the right side of the church, there is a 60-meter-high bell tower, which is the tallest bell tower in Manila. The bell tower has seventeen bells, the largest of which is called the Antonio Carlos Bell, weighing 4.5 tons, and was donated by the Philippine President Carlos Garcia.

The basement of the church has a museum, which displays the history and culture of the church, including the models of the church, the memorabilia of the popes, the documents of the archdiocese, the vestments of the clergy, the sacred vessels and relics, etc.

The Manila Cathedral has regular religious activities such as masses, confessions, baptisms, etc. If you happen to catch up, you can watch quietly from a distance. It also provides wedding services, so you can often see newlyweds holding weddings or taking wedding photos here.

How to get there

The church can be reached by public transportation or private vehicles. The Manila Cathedral is in the Intramuros district, located on the south bank of the Pasig River near the mouth of Manila Bay. To get to Intramuros by LRT, you can get off at the United Nations Avenue Station, and then walk for 20-25 minutes to the church. You can also take a jeepney to Bonifacio Drive. If you take a private vehicle, you can follow the Roxas Boulevard or Taft Avenue to the Intramuros district, and then follow the Cabildo Street to the church.