Chapter V
Manila Churches and Edifices in the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century, Steel
and Iron Sheets Used for the First Time.
The earthquake of 1863 destroyed all churches and buildingsin the Walled City of
Manila, except San Agustin Church which had only one of its towers damaged. Outside
the Walled City, all churches and buildings also suffered severe damages. In the
reconstruction that followed, many of the churches were given “new faces "
Tondo Church was redesigned by Oliver in 1873. The style of the new facade
was compuesto. For the medianaranja dome, steel framing was used; and for the
roofing iron sheets -the first time that these materials were used in the country. (Fig.
123, 178)
Conrado Gregorio who took over the construction from Oliver indicated his
intention to use "armadurade hierro" -the Iron ‘o be imported from England. This was
the first edifice to include in its plans the use of iron sheets and was favorably acted
upon by the JuntaConsultativa and Inspeccion General de ObrasPublicas.
The Binondo Church was built in the 18th century. Originally , Its dome had the
shape of a truncated cone. In 1778, when it was discovered that white ants ate up the
wood work, the roof was temporarily replaced with nipa. However, in 1781. the four
main arches supporting the dome was rebuilt withMeycauayan stone. and the dome
was consequently changed to a media naranja, The architect who supervised the repair
work was Domingo Cruz y Gonzalez, a SangleyMestizo. When Archbishop Basilio
Sancho visited this church he was impressed by thewell-executedretables. TheBinondo
church was lightly damaged in the 1863 earthquake.
The Sta. Cruz Church was destroyed in the June 3, 1863 earthquake. Before its
destruction, it was a very impressive stracture with its usually tall tower. There were
beautiful carvings and statues in the . The edifice had very thick walls. This fact was
observed by the engineer who inspected it after the earthquake. As the
archibishopcommented, the walls were thick enough to support a structure as high.
19
, The destruction of the walls clearly indicated the severity of the femora. In the
reconstruction, the tower was restored; .also the facade which was the Classic order,
The church was also provided with a vestibule.
In the 1863 earthquake, the entire tile roof of the Quiapo church collapsed; and
what remained of the walls was ordereddemolished, The rebuilding was started In 1879
and completed In 1889. The rebuilt structure was similar to the old one, with a single
octagonal tower of three stories, The facade was of compuesto crowned with a
triangular pediment.
The Malate Church, severely damaged in the I863 earthquake, remained
unrepaired for over a decade, D. Carlos de la Heras, an engineer and builder, made an
inspection of the restored edifice In 1894 and in his report criticized the architecture and
the construction, Particularly, he mentioned the lack of proportion of elements in the
facade. He said, the two towers were too insignificant in the general appearance of the
facade and were ineffective as buttresses. The cross beams were not properly set on
the lateral walls. and the projecting stones (adajaras) did not harmonize with the facade.
At the time the roof overthe nave was of tile, while over the side aisles were of iron
sheets.
The San Sebastian church was damaged in both the earthquake of 1863 and
1880. After the latter one. the old church was useless. And so the Recollect fathers
decided to build a new one that would Stand for all times: They sought the services of
GenaroPalacios, a very capable engineer, to prepare the plans of an all-steel church.
The architecture was to be Gothic- minusthe flyingbuttresses. (Fig. 40)
According to the blueprint, the floor covered seven hundred and four square
meters; orientation of the church was east-west. The structure was to stand on an
elevated concrete pavement. The centralnave from the floor to the springing line of the
dome, was to be twelve meters high The indicated measurements of the two towers
were a total height of thirty-two meters to the tip of the steeples, the base eight and
one-half meters high.
Being of steel the facade could not be as ornate as Gothicchurches of brick and
stone, Over the main portal was a rose window, Therewere also side portals. The side
buttresses were surmounted with double pinnacles The choir loft was on the eastern
end over the main entrance.
20
Manila Churches and Edifices in the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century, Steel
and Iron Sheets Used for the First Time.
The earthquake of 1863 destroyed all churches and buildingsin the Walled City of
Manila, except San Agustin Church which had only one of its towers damaged. Outside
the Walled City, all churches and buildings also suffered severe damages. In the
reconstruction that followed, many of the churches were given “new faces "
Tondo Church was redesigned by Oliver in 1873. The style of the new facade
was compuesto. For the medianaranja dome, steel framing was used; and for the
roofing iron sheets -the first time that these materials were used in the country. (Fig.
123, 178)
Conrado Gregorio who took over the construction from Oliver indicated his
intention to use "armadurade hierro" -the Iron ‘o be imported from England. This was
the first edifice to include in its plans the use of iron sheets and was favorably acted
upon by the JuntaConsultativa and Inspeccion General de ObrasPublicas.
The Binondo Church was built in the 18th century. Originally , Its dome had the
shape of a truncated cone. In 1778, when it was discovered that white ants ate up the
wood work, the roof was temporarily replaced with nipa. However, in 1781. the four
main arches supporting the dome was rebuilt withMeycauayan stone. and the dome
was consequently changed to a media naranja, The architect who supervised the repair
work was Domingo Cruz y Gonzalez, a SangleyMestizo. When Archbishop Basilio
Sancho visited this church he was impressed by thewell-executedretables. TheBinondo
church was lightly damaged in the 1863 earthquake.
The Sta. Cruz Church was destroyed in the June 3, 1863 earthquake. Before its
destruction, it was a very impressive stracture with its usually tall tower. There were
beautiful carvings and statues in the . The edifice had very thick walls. This fact was
observed by the engineer who inspected it after the earthquake. As the
archibishopcommented, the walls were thick enough to support a structure as high.
19
, The destruction of the walls clearly indicated the severity of the femora. In the
reconstruction, the tower was restored; .also the facade which was the Classic order,
The church was also provided with a vestibule.
In the 1863 earthquake, the entire tile roof of the Quiapo church collapsed; and
what remained of the walls was ordereddemolished, The rebuilding was started In 1879
and completed In 1889. The rebuilt structure was similar to the old one, with a single
octagonal tower of three stories, The facade was of compuesto crowned with a
triangular pediment.
The Malate Church, severely damaged in the I863 earthquake, remained
unrepaired for over a decade, D. Carlos de la Heras, an engineer and builder, made an
inspection of the restored edifice In 1894 and in his report criticized the architecture and
the construction, Particularly, he mentioned the lack of proportion of elements in the
facade. He said, the two towers were too insignificant in the general appearance of the
facade and were ineffective as buttresses. The cross beams were not properly set on
the lateral walls. and the projecting stones (adajaras) did not harmonize with the facade.
At the time the roof overthe nave was of tile, while over the side aisles were of iron
sheets.
The San Sebastian church was damaged in both the earthquake of 1863 and
1880. After the latter one. the old church was useless. And so the Recollect fathers
decided to build a new one that would Stand for all times: They sought the services of
GenaroPalacios, a very capable engineer, to prepare the plans of an all-steel church.
The architecture was to be Gothic- minusthe flyingbuttresses. (Fig. 40)
According to the blueprint, the floor covered seven hundred and four square
meters; orientation of the church was east-west. The structure was to stand on an
elevated concrete pavement. The centralnave from the floor to the springing line of the
dome, was to be twelve meters high The indicated measurements of the two towers
were a total height of thirty-two meters to the tip of the steeples, the base eight and
one-half meters high.
Being of steel the facade could not be as ornate as Gothicchurches of brick and
stone, Over the main portal was a rose window, Therewere also side portals. The side
buttresses were surmounted with double pinnacles The choir loft was on the eastern
end over the main entrance.
20
