History of Architecture 4 Report by: SR DLS -College of St. Benilde School of Architecture 1st Term S.Y. 2016-17 October 2016

1. Architectural Character
of the Spanish Period
Transcripts from Arch. Norma I. Alarcon’s seminal book, Philippine Architecture During
The Pre-Spanish And Spanish Periods
Histarc 4 1st Term S.Y. 2016-17

2. Why Spain kept the Philippines in the first place?

4. Source: http://web.stanford.edu/group/journal/cgi-bin/wordpress/wp-
content/uploads/2012/09/Merchant_SocSci_2009.pdf

5. First, it reveals that when examining the mercantile empires, non-
economic factors need to be given equal consideration relative to
economic factors.
The case of the Spanish Philippines is such that economics may not
have been the main reason for keeping the colony.
Source: http://web.stanford.edu/group/journal/cgi-bin/wordpress/wp-
content/uploads/2012/09/Merchant_SocSci_2009.pdf

6. SPANISH EMPIRE IN THE 17TH CENTURY

7. Why Spain kept the Philippines in the first place?
As some historians have suggested, religious or strategic reasons may
have been more important.
Some assert that Spain kept the Philippines with the hope of spreading
Christianity into China…
Source: http://web.stanford.edu/group/journal/cgi-bin/wordpress/wp-
content/uploads/2012/09/Merchant_SocSci_2009.pdf

8. Why Spain kept the Philippines in the first place?
…while others argue that the Philippines’ central location in the Pacific,
near the colonies of other European powers, gave Spain a naval
advantage.
Source: http://web.stanford.edu/group/journal/cgi-bin/wordpress/wp-
content/uploads/2012/09/Merchant_SocSci_2009.pdf

9. Architecture in the Philippines is the result of natural development
enriched with the absorption of varied social, cultural and religious
influences.
From the Spanish period to the contemporary times, its development
has been interwoven with foreign features.

10. As a result, Philippine architecture has acquired various definition as
follows;
1. A conglomeration of various architectures as a result of the
country’s cultural relationship with her neighbors and various
colonizers from the West;

11. 2. Regionalized, due to its geographical condition and location;
A House at VIGAN HERITAGE VILLAGE
“Ilocano Architecture” Lopez Mansion
“Visayan Architecture”

12. 3. Ethnic, due to the affinity it has with the Asian type of culture;
Moro House
“Mindanao-Moro Architecture”

13. Badjao “village”
Traces of the
“Thallasocratic”
society

14. 4. Folk, because of the mixture of pre-Western culture and Western
culture brought from Spain and America. (---Nothing Follows---)

15. JUST THINK ABOUT YOUR HOUSE. 

16. Folk architecture is the living environment
people have created for themselves

17. Before we go to Spanish Colonial AR in the
Philippines
What is Spanish Architecture (in Europe)?

18. Plaza de
España,
Seville

19. Maqsura of the Great Mosque of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba

20. Alacrán, scorpion
From Classical Arabic aqrab ( ‫عقرب‬) of same meaning.

21. Alacrán, scorpion
From Classical Arabic aqrab ( ‫عقرب‬) of same meaning.
Filipino: Alakdan

22. Spanish: Asesino
English: Assassin
Arabic: hashasheen (“smokers of hash”)

23. Spanish: Asesino
English: Assassin
Arabic: hashasheen (“smokers of hash”)
Filipino: manglilingo

24. What were the period styles dominant in
Spain from 1521-1899?
• Spanish Renaissance architecture
• Spanish Baroque architecture
• Spanish Colonial architecture
• Neoclassical Style

25. Basic characteristic of “Early Renaissance” architecture
• Use of “human scale”
(part of humanism)

26. San Agustin Church, Intramuros
High Renaissance Architecture

27. What were the period styles dominant in
Spain from 1521-1899?
• Spanish Renaissance architecture
• Spanish Baroque architecture
• Spanish Colonial architecture
• Neoclassical Style

28. Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain
Churrigueresque Obradoiro façade
Churrigueresque
refers to a Spanish Baroque style of elaborate sculptural
architectural ornament which emerged as a manner of stucco
decoration in Spain in the late 17th century and was used up to
about 1750, marked by extreme, expressive and florid
decorative detailing, normally found above the entrance on the
main facade of a building.
Named after the architect and sculptor,
José Benito de Churriguera (1665–1725)

30. “Dahil ‘daw sa dugong LATIN na
Nananalaytay sa ating mga ugat
Mukang natural na expresiyon na
Siya ng ating pagkatao.”
- Lourd de Veyra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cezbq_2mQg

31. Horror vacui

32. Horror vacui
Fear of blank spaces.

33. Our Lady of the Gate Parish Church
Daraga, Albay
Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva
Miag-ao, Iloilo City

34. What were the period styles dominant in
Spain from 1521-1899?
• Spanish Renaissance architecture
• Spanish Baroque architecture
• Spanish Colonial architecture
• Neoclassical Style

35. Spanish Colonial Architecture
The combination of the Native American and Moorish decorative
influences with an extremely expressive interpretation of the
Churrigueresque idiom may account for the full-bodied and varied
character of the Baroque in the American colonies of Spain.

36. Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade
The Manila-Acapulco Galleon
Memorial at Plaza Mexico in
Intramuros, Manila.

39. We’re more “Mexicans” rather than “Spanish”
Ang impluwensiya sa ating kultura ay hindi Kastila kundi Mexicano.
- Lourd de Veyra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyP2Fsm8MxI

40. “Spanish Mission Architecture”
“Spanish Roof Tile”
Adobe
(rammed-earth const’n.)

42. Danao City Church, Cebu.
The structure is made
from coral stones.

44. DETAIL OF EXPOSED CORAL WALL

45. What were the period styles dominant in
Spain from 1521-1899?
• Spanish Renaissance architecture
• Spanish Baroque architecture
• Spanish Colonial architecture
• Neoclassical Style

46. Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours, a.k.a. “Taal Basilica”

48. “maestro de obras”

51. Who designed/ planned/ construct churches
before “maestro de obras” or “architects”
became the norm in the Philippines?

52. Who designed/ planned/ construct churches
before “maestro de obras” or “architects”
became the norm in the Philippines?
SPANISH FRIARS

53. “prayle”

55. Generally, planning and construction of churches in the Philipines were
undertaken by the Spanish friars.
In the book, THE FILIPINO HERITAGE, Fr. Pedro G. Galende, OSA wrote
in his article “Angelus in Stone” that the reason for professional
architects in assisting the friars is explained by the following:
1. Distance of the Philippines from their country;
2. Uncertainty of the job;
3. Legends and stories about the Philippines;
4. Low salary

56. With the provisions set forth by the Laws of the Indies clearly
stated and with experiences learned from their previous
undertakings, the friars, armed with the desire to convert the
Filipinos to Christianity took the task of building the imprints of
the Catholic religion.

57. According to Fr. Pablo Fernandez, O.P. in his book, “History of the Church in the
Philippines”, funding for the construction of the churches came from the
following sources:
1. occasional funds from the government;
2. encomenderos who are residents of the area;
3. priest’s savings; and,
4. monetary tribute or contribution and manual labor of the town people

58. The encomienda was a labor
system, rewarding conquerors
with the labor of particular
groups of people.

59. Furthermore, according to Fr. Fernandez, the king of Spain, on his part,
provided a new church with;
- sacred furnishings;
- a chalice with its paten;
- a bell
- mass wine
- aciete (oil) for the sanctuary
- support services (repair of the churches, conventos, and cemeteries)

60. Taxation:
Native [Filipinos] – half real per person
Chinese-Filipino mestizo – two reales

61. To be continued…
Next week we’ll discuss:
- Components of Bahay na Bato
- Typical components of Spanish Colonial churches in the PH
- Spanish Law of the Indies
- A bit more of vernacular terms (ulit)

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