Old Iloilo City Hall/UP Visayas

San Joaquin Cemetery

The San Joaquin Cemetery (1892), one of a number built in Iloilo province during the 19th century, is located along the highway leading to the town. Built on a low rise, the cemetery’s square perimeter is demarcated by a wrought iron fence and shored by a wall of carved stone, embellished with niches and saints. A flight of 20 steps leads up to the cemetery compound. The octagonal structure at the compound’s center is a mortuary chapel, where it was customary to bless the dead. The chapel is decorated with Classical motifs. A pointed dome crowns the whole structure. (Panublion)

Miag-ao Cemetery

Guimbal Municipal Hall

Sanson-Montinola House (Jaro)

The more interesting house is the Sanson y Montinola Antillan house, a block away from Nelly’s. The house is reminiscent of the Gaston house in Silay, Negros Occidental. The similarities can be explained by the fact that most of the rich families of Iloilo, at one point, all transferred to Bacolod, instigated largely by the spirit of unionism that had workers clamoring for reforms. (NCCA)

Jaro Cathedral

Sta. Isabel de Hungria Cathedral
Although the Cathedral is presently named after St. Elizabeth, the patroness of Jaro is Candelaria, whose feast is celebrated on 2 February. The first church and convento of Jaro was built at Alanga. Frs. Francisco de Santa Maria Oliva and Francisco Ramirez laid out new plans for the town and built the parochial buildings, however, they were destroyed when the Dutch attacked on 12 October 1614. Fr. Pedro del Castillo built a new and stronger church and convento (1639-44). The building were damaged by a typhoon around 1686. After a series of slave raids, the town, devastated by the attacks, was transferred to its present site between 1722-44. Fr. Juan Aguado built a church and convento which were damaged by an 1824 earthquake. Fr. José Alvarez restored the church, tower and convento from 1833-35, setting up a brick kiln on the church site for this purpose. Fr. Francisco Aguería drew up plans for a new church, gathered material, had bricks baked and lumber procured from Negros and Iloilo. In 1865, the Augustinians handed over the parish to become the episcopal see of Jaro, Bp. Cuartero implemented Fr. Aguería’s plan. The church was damaged by the earthquake of 1848; of the bell tower all but the first floor remained. Damaged by war, the church was repaired and renovated. The façade was renovated during the Papal visit of John Paul II in 1971, with the addition of a balcony above the main door.

Galende claims that only the remaining portion of the tower and the church plans can be attributed to the Augustinians. Early 20th century photographs show a squat church with a wide central nave and lateral aisles built lower than the nave. From a triangular pediment curved lines link the laterals with the main section of the façade. Pilasters decorate the façade, pairs of them flanking the arched portal. The church has a similar silouhette to Guimbal. The bell tower is separated from the church, in a manner reminiscent of Ilocos churches. The three story structure had a ribbed dome roof, its lower floor was quadrilateral decorated by a clustering of pilasters at the corners. The upper floors also quadrilaterals have truncated corners. Similar clustering of pilasters decorate these higher registers. Oculi, circular and arch windows pierce the stone and brick wall of the tower. Restored recently using reinforced concrete with a brick facing, the present tower departs from the older plan by being more slender and simplifying the ribbed dome. (Panublion)

Arguelles-Jalandoni House (Jaro)

Dingle Church

Dingle Church was built in 1874 using yellowish limestone in Neoclassic Architecture. The details of the facade share some similarities with the facades of Lambunao and Duenas Churches. The sole belfry seems to be a mere example of ‘Vulgar Gothic’ which is somewhat a pleasant departure from the Neoclassic wholeness brought by the facade.

Dingle, which was then called Baong was once a visita of Pototan and became an independent parish in 1611. Though the church is not as large as compared to the huge churches of Molo and Cabatuan, it boasts a clean and preserved elegance which matches the calmness and tranquility of the town. (Gian Alvarez)

Janiuay Cemetery

Along the highway connecting Janiuay to the neighboring town of Mina is a cemetery built on a slope. Described at the time it was finished as “the most artistic in the whole country” the builder of this cemetery was Fr. Fernando de Llorente who commenced work in 1874 and completed the whole project after nine years. The archbishop of Manila, Pedro Payo, blessed the cemetery.

Three stairways lead to the three gates of the cemetery, built on a high ground and shored up by a retaining wall. The wall has niches in which 16 six-foot stone santos were enshrined. The cemetery perimeter is surrounded by a brick and wrought iron fence and near this gate stood a Byzantine stone cross. The cross and some statues are missing. On the same axis as the main gate is an octagonal mortuary chapel, covered by a pointed dome roof. The roof has been replaced by nondescript pyramidal roof. Despite the obvious degradation of the chapel, the Gothic features that remain are still stunning–the windows pierced by delicate stone tracery, the spires rising at the eight points of the octagonal building. (Panublion)

Cabatuan Church

San Nicolás de Tolentino Parish
A visita as early as 1719, Cabatuan became a parish 1732, under the advocacy San Nicolás. A church and convento was probably built at the foundation of the parish. But the present church traces to the efforts of Fr. Ramón Alquezar who was named prior in 1833. He remained in Cabatuan until 1865. Another author claims that he died on 22 September 1863, at any rate, the church was completed by Fr. Manuel Ruiz in 1866; restored and decorated by Fr. Manuel Gutierrez. Fr. Juan Porras built the convento in 1876.

Heritage Features: This capacious single nave church is a good example of Neoclassical architecture in its severest form. Except for rectangular carved plaques, the façade’s main decorations are twinned Tuscan pilasters alternating with plain walls pierced by fenestration’s or niches. The flanking bell towers are wide, squat and massive. This impression is reinforced by the dome covering the bell tower. (Panublion)