The Wonders Behind the walls of San Agustin Church

San Agustin Church in Intramuros is the oldest church here in the Philippines. It is also one of the four baroque churches declared as a UNESCO heritage site. Founded in 1571 by the Agustinian friars, this church remarkably has withstood numerous earthquakes and is one of the building spared by World War II bombings.

The Church is located in Gen. Luna St. in Intramuros. The cobbled stone courtyard has remained unchanged. I wasn't able to take a picture of the facade because of the crowd. It used to have two bell towers adorning its facade but an earthquake in 1880 damaged the left tower. Restoration was done, but the tower was removed.







The trompe l'oiel adorned ceiling is a wonder to behold. It also adorns the columns and wall within the church. The altar is a simple one, but beautiful. The 14 side altars also serves as the resting place of priests and the elite of the Spanish period, such as Miguel Lopez de Legazpi the founder of Manila. Juan Luna's remains can also be found in the church's crypt. The crypt is also said to be haunted, and some other parts of the church since it served as a prison and garrison during World War II.










Entrance fee to the museum is P100 for adults. Museum hours are from 8am-12nn, and 1pm-6pm. The museum closes for lunch but you can come back as long as you have paid for the entrance fees. How to get there? If commuting, ride jeeps or FX taxis bound for Mabini (Ermita). They will pass by the Intramuros gate near PLM (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila). From the gate, just walk straight a few blocks down and you will see the church. After touring the church, one can proceed to either Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral or just walk the parapets of Intramuros' walls. Or you can simply stay in Father Blanco's gardens within San Agustin Church, providing it doesn't rain or it's not too hot and humid.

Traveler tip: wear comfortable shoes since you will be walking a lot. The streets are narrow, and there is vehicle traffic so watch out for manic drivers who will run you down. For foreign tourists, be cautious of pedicab drivers or people coming up to you offering to tour you around Intramuros. Intramuros is part of Manila, so don't flash your expensive cameras around or make them your necklace.

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