San Agustin Church, A Magnificent Church With A Rich Legacy

The San Agustin Church belongs to the Roman Catholic Order of St. Augustine, situated within the historical city of Intramuros in Manila, the Philippines. Completed at the beginning of the 17^th century, the church is considered to be the oldest existing building in the Philippines. It has been identified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the category ‘Baroque Churches of the Philippines’.

The church which stands today is in fact the third structure constructed on the premises by the Order of St. Augustine. The first structure, composed of nipa and bamboo, was razed by fire in 1574 in a military skirmish. A second building made of wood was devastated by a fire that occurred during the funeral ceremony of a Spanish official.

It was finally decided to construct a church using a more robust material – stone – to stand the test of time; it was also decided to build a monastery on the premises. The church, constructed in adobe stone, was finally opened in 1607, under the appellation ‘St. Paul of Manila’. This building withstood a series of significant earthquakes, and survived tremendous military activity in World War II.

The church has many distinctive features, and it has been suggested that its design derived from the Spanish churches in the Americas, particularly Mexico’s Puebla Cathedral. The exterior is unpretentious, with only some typically Baroque decorations on the impressive wooden doors. The courtyard contains a number of granite lion sculptures.

The interior of the church takes the shape of a Latin cross, with no less than 14 flanking chapels and a magnificent ‘trompe l’oeil’ (deceptive to the eye) ceiling created by eminent artists from Italy. Some sections of the church feature seats constructed of an alluring tropical wood – molave. The church houses the tombs of many eminent individuals.

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