Category Archives: Architecture

Casa de Segunda (Lipa City, Batangas)

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Casa de Segunda

After lunch at Liam’s Lomi House, we still had time to kill before checking in at The Zen Villas Resort so we decided to visit Casa de Segunda which was just a 1.7 km. (10-min.) drive away.

Also known as Luz–Katigbak House, the well-preserved Casa de Segunda is a heritage house built in the 1880s and owned by Don Manuel Mitra de San Miguel-Luz and Doña Segunda Solis Katigbak, Dr. José Rizal’s first love.

The quatrefoil-shaped, brick fountain

In 1956, the house was repaired by Paz Luz-Dimayuga who  serves as one of the caretakers of the house museum and, in 1996, after the house and its surrounding compound was renovated, was declared as a national Heritage House by the National Historic Institute.

Our guide discussing the history of the house at the zaguan

The present heiresses, the great-granddaughters of Doña Segunda Katigbak-Luz, maintain and manage the house, as well as Ms. Lilith Malabanan (great great grandchild of Segunda), who lives near Casa de Segunda.  At present, the house was converted into a museum.

Portrait of the young Segunda Katigbak

We entered the house through a nondescript entrance gate (designed by Lucila “Luchi” Reyes-Resurreccion during the 1996 renovation) and into an inner courtyard, with weathered red tiles, whose focal point is a quatrefoil-shaped, brick fountain, fishpond, and an orchard.

Portraits of Segunda’s parents and photos of the families of Luz-Katigbak heirs

Upon entry, we were met by a caretaker who lives at the adjoining replica of a 19th-century house, which was occupied by one of the Luz–Katigbak heirs.

The zaguan

She acted as our guide around the house which we entered via the zaguan (entrance), the storage area for agricultural harvests and the family’s carroza (processional carriage) for the revered santo and, now, the receiving area for the visitors of the museum.

The comedor (dining area)

Its floor is paved with black-and-white machuca tiles which were partially damaged during the bombing of Lipa during the World War II.  It featured information materials, cultural artifacts and a copy of a portrait of Segunda as well as the portrait of her parents and photographs of the families of the Luz–Katigbak heirs.

The entresuelo (servant’s quarters) which also served as an office

According to her, the Luz–Katigbak House was one of the houses built by Don Norberto Calao Katigbak, a gobernadorcillo, from 1862 to 1863, who was known to own big parcels of land in Batangas.

Ascending the hagdan (grand staircase) to the piso principal (main floor)

The Katigbaks were one of the richest families in the province. Part of their wealth was attributed to the coffee industry, being one of the major business ventures in the past. Norberto was married to Doña Justa Mitra de San Miguel-Solis and their daughter was Doña Segunda Solis Katigbak (1863-1943).

The sala mayor (living area)

Our National Hero José Rizal was captivated by the 14-year old, charming and graceful Segunda whom he met through his sister, Olimpia who was one of her classmates at Colegio de la Immaculada Concepcion de la Concordia in Santa Ana, Manila.

Antique piano and violin

Don Mariano Solis-Katigbak, Segunda’s older brother, also was a close friend and classmate of Rizal at Ateneo Municipal. However, as Segunda was already betrothed to her uncle Don Manuel Mitra de San Miguel-Luz (1858-1942) from a wealthy family in Lipa, Batangas), Rizal never proposed.

Full length Venetian mirror

Eventually, Don Manuel and the 16-year old Doña Segunda got married, on January 12, 1879, and had 14 children, 9 of whom survived to mature age.

A pair of butakas (birthing chairs)

Known in the province as a family of scholars, political leaders, professionals and artists, one of its descendants of the Luz–Katigbaks is Arturo R. Luz, a National Artist for Visual Arts.

Painting of San Sebastian Cathedral

This house was originally built on a square plan, with an azotea (terrace) extending it into an L-shaped plan.  The adobe wall, at the ground floor, was plastered with lime mortar.

Manual sewing machine

The house was also one of the set locations for Pulang Lupa, a 2024 Philippine drama series starring Barbie Forteza, Sanya Lopez, David Licauco and Alden Richards.

Oratorio (prayer area)

From the zaguan, we moved on to the comedor (dining area), below the azotea, which has a pleasant view of the inner courtyard.  We also entered the entresuelo, meant to be the servants’ quarters but sometimes used as an office.

The master bedroom with narra 4-poster bed and two butakas

We then went up the hagdan (grand staircase) leading up to the sala mayor (living room), at the piso principal (main floor), whose flooring were made out of mid-sized narra planks, of deep warm color. It is furnished with 19th century furniture (including a large, chic Venetian mirror), valuable heirloom pieces, paintings and antique portraits.

Vanity table with full length mirror

The three sides of the room were surrounded by wood and capiz sliding windows, which protect the room from rain water without blocking the sunlight, and persiana panels which serves as the second layer of the windows, providing ample protection from sunlight.

The children’s bedroom

Below the pasamano  (window sills) are ventanillas with balusters, which draw up the prevailing breeze inside the house. The transom (upper part of the window) was protected by wood and capiz panels, in a diagonal pattern, which maintain soft lighting in the house.

The azotea (terrace)

On both sides of the staircase are the cuartos (bedrooms) while behind it is an impressive oratorio (prayer area) featuring a magnificent, locally-made Batangas uno mesa altar with statues of saints displayed on top. Two antique frames encase Segunda’s novena and prayer pamphlets.

A retablo ((altarpiece)

The master bedroom is furnished with a carved, 4-poster narra bed, accentuated with crocheted bed fineries, lace curtains, an aparador (wardrobe) and a vanity table with a full-length mirror.  We finally visited the azotea, whose open portions are protected by restored balusters and, from there, went down a staircase, to the inner courtyard.

L-R: Reden Espinosa,  Beth Espinosa,  Grace, Jandy and the author

Casa de Segunda: 96 Rizal Street, 4217 Lipa City, Batangas.  Tel: (043) 784 1952. Mobile number: (0977) 425-7598. Admission: Php100 (Php75 for seniors and PWD). Open daily, 8 AM to 5 PM.

Persada Johor International Convention Centre (Johor Bahru, Malaysia)

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The 23,003 sq. m., US$13 million Persada Johor International Convention Centre (Malay: Pusat Konvensyen Antarabangsa Persada Johor), site of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (January 15-20), is located within the 2.6679-ha. (6.592-acre) Persada Johor Convention Centre Complex.  Developed and owned by Johor Corporation Bhd (the investment arm of the Johor State Government), this prestigious convention center venue is where both international and local events are held.

Persada Johor International Convention Center

Situated in the very heart of Johor Bahru, the capital of Johor, the site on which it stands was the former Johor Military Force (JMF) camp, and it was also the site of early remnants of Johor Bahru city. Poetically, the Malay word persada means “a raised stage or building” or “a place which has steps for a royal member to sit and conduct official matters.”

Convention center lobby

The huge and well-planned Persada Johor International Convention Centre can accommodate 3,500 delegates theater-style of 2,160 people banquet-style.  With 16 function rooms and 758 carpark spaces, it was adopted to reflect historical elements of Johor as well as modern features with dominant qualities such as strength, integrity and functionality.  Its architecture, acknowledging Johor’s rich cultural heritage, features an exterior embellished with “Khat” Islamic writings.  Its unique roof is shaped after the Johor Sultanate state ruler’s official hat, a symbol of creativity, practicality and nobility.

The preferred Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (M.I.C.E) destination in Southern Malaysia, this state-of-the-art, huge and well-planned facility, inaugurated last October 2006, is also the first convention center in Malaysia to be a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC).

The convention complex, comprising two main levels and two intermediate floors, consists of convention halls, 10 meeting rooms of different sizes, a 2,016 sq. m. exhibition hall, a 90-seat auditorium and restaurant. The upper level houses the Convention Halls while at the lower level are the Exhibition Halls.

The author at the exhibition hall

The 3,078 sq. m. main Convention Hall, with its highly modular floor layout, can easily be converted into three smaller fully soundproofed convention halls – the 1,058 sq. m. Hall 301 (maximum capacity: 1,000 pax); the 902 sq. m. Hall 302 (maximum capacity: 900 pax); and the 903 sq.m. Hall 303 (maximum capacity: 900 pax). All the convention hall capacities stated are in theatre-style but fully convertible to reception, classroom and banquet arrangements.

The convention hall

The Exhibition Hall, which can be used for exhibitions, conventions, banquets, concerts, trade shows and sporting events, comprises two separate halls that can be combined to offer a total floor space of 3,070 sq. m. (33,051 sq. ft.).  The 1,931 sq. m. Exhibition Hall 101 can accommodate 100 booths of 3 m. x 3 m. stands with a ceiling height of 9 m., while the 1,140 sq. m. Exhibition Hall 102 can accommodate 50 booths with a limited ceiling height of 4.5 m.

Level 4 (Gallery Level) has one meeting room and an auditorium (401) with a non-flexible seating capacity of 84 persons. Level 3 (Convention Hall Level) has three meeting rooms (the 60-pax Room 304 and 305 and the 120-pac Room 306). All Meeting Room capacities stated are in theatre-style arrangement but fully convertible to reception, classroom and banquet arrangements.

Media briefing at an auditorium

The all-day dining Selesih Restaurant serves a range of upmarket, deliciously authentic Malay, Johorean and international cuisine, either from the a la carte menu or its tantalizing buffets.  Open daily from 7 AM to 10.30 PM.  Outside are a selection of mobile restaurants that serves fresh, hot and chilled food, as well as snack items and hot drinks. A bridge links the convention center with the nearby, 5-star Petri Pacific Hotel.

Persada Johor International Convention Centre: Jalan Abdullah Ibrahim, P.O. Box 293, 80730 Johor Bahru, Johor.  Tel: 07 219 8888 (general line).  Fax: 60 7-219-8889. E-mail: admin@persadajohor.com (general email).  Website: www.persadajohor.com.   Coordinates: 1.461833°N 103.761583°E.

How to Get There: The convention center is accessible by Muafakat Bus route P-101.

Church of St. Michael the Archangel (Bacoor City, Cavite)

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Church of St. Michael the Archangel

The original church, in one of the oldest parishes in Cavite (established as a separate parish, from Kawit, on January 18, 1752), was made from wood, stone, bamboo and nipa in 1669 and used to face Bacoor Bay.

The church’s Baroque facade

In October 1762, due to its strategic location, the church and convent was destroyed by the British on their way to occupy Cavite Puerto (now Cavite City).  In 1774, it was rebuilt in stone and, from 1788 to 1820, Fr. Domingo Sevilla Pilapil rebuilt the church in stone and mortar, adding the retablo, bell tower and patio.

Plaza Gomes

After the June 3, 1863 Manila earthquake, the church was reoriented inland (to prevent entry of sea water during high tides),  rebuilt, and enlarged with adobe, from 1863 to 1870, by parish priest (from June 2, 1824 to 1872) Fr. Mariano Gomes delos Angeles (of GOMBURZA fame) and Architect Felix Rojas (who later designed the Neo-Gothic Church of Sto. Domingo in Intramuros, Manila).  In 1872, after Fr. Gomes’ execution on February 17, the administration of the church was turned over to the Augustinian Recollect Fr. Juan Gomez.

The church’s three-storey bell tower

The National Historical Commission plaque installed in 2022

On May 31, 1898, during the Philippine Revolution, revolutionaries raised the Philippine flag on the bell tower.  After the revolution, the church was returned to the secular clergy. 

Important Cultural Property Marker

The present structure is what remained of this once longest church in Cavite, which once measured 20 brazas (33.4 m.) long and 5.5 brazas (9.9 m.) wide), after a third of the church was destroyed, on June 13, 1899, during the Philippine-American War.

The church interior

The choir loft area

On December 28, 2020, the church, as well as the nearby Cuenca House, were declared as an Important Cultural Properties by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and the National Museum of the Philippines.

The main altar

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

The church’s Baroque façade has a segmental arch main entrance (topped by a segmental arch statued niche), flanked by coupled flat pilasters, with Doric capitals and urn-like finials, and narrow, semicircular arched windows.  The triangular pediment has a centrally located, semicircular arch niche with a statue of St. Michael the Archangel.

The three-storey bell tower, on the church’s right, has a square base with coupled flat pilasters (also topped by Doric capitals) and a segmental arch open and blind (where the “Simbahan ng Bacoor” plaque is mounted) windows.  The upper two storeys, in receding planes, are octagonal, with blind and open, semicircular arch windows.

Inside is a narrow nave, exposed roof trusses with no ceiling, a main altar and two side altars.  Along the walls are burial niches.

One of the burial niches along the walls

In 2021, a historical marker and a bust of Fr. Mariano Gomes was installed front of the church convent, built in 1843 by Fr. Gomes.

The convent on the church’s left

The Padre Mariano Gomes Marker

Church of St. Michael the Archangel: Gen. E. Evangelista St., Poblacion, 4102 Bacoor City, Cavite.Tel: (046) 436-0456, 434-5679 (office) and 434-6466 (rectory). E-mail: sanmiguelbacoor@gmail.com.  Feast of St. Michael the Archangel: May 12.

How to Get There: Bacoor City is located 24.5 kms. (a one-hour drive) from Manila and 26.5 kms. (a one-hour drive) from Trece Martires City.  The church, right in front of the city’s Hall of Justice and Justice B. Ocampo Park, is located near the City Hall.

St. Ferdinand Parish Church (City of Ilagan, Isabela)

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St. Ferdinand Parish Church

The St. Ferdinand Parish Proto-Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Isabela, is located beside St. Ferdinand College and Rizal Park.  The present foundations of the present church was built, from 1696 to 1700, by Fr. Miguel Matos, O.P.,  as a mamposteria and brick church.

In 1777, the solid belfry (existing up to present) was started by Fr. Pedro de San Pedro, O.P., and finished, in 1783, by Fr. Joaquin Sancho, O.P.. In 1786, the bell of the church was forged.  On December 20, 1803, the church became the final resting place of Nueva Segovia Bishop Agustin Pedro Blaquer, OSA, who died in Ilagan on December 19, 1803 after he got sick during his visit to Cauayan. He was interred at the Epistle side of the church.

Old photo of the church probably showing the 1930 facade (St. Ferdinand Official Facebook account)

In 1829, Fr. Luis Garcia, O.P., constructed the sacristy  of ladrillo and finished in 1833. The 1866 typhoon destroyed the church dome and Fr. Pablo Almazan, O.P., demolished major portions of the church’s solid walls in order to build a bigger one.  In 1892, Fr. Isidro Martinena, O.P., established a campo santo (cemetery) in Barangay Santo Tomas, located outside of Ilagan poblacion.

Another old photo of the church, probably showing the 1960s renovation as the buttresses are now more prominent and entrance and stained glass windows have been modified. (photo: hiSTORYA)

The present façade and major parts of the church were constructed in the 1930s. It was renovated in the 1960s. The bell tower, sanctuary, sacristy, parish hall and the old campo santo are the remaining traces of the Spanish-era church.

The present Baroque facade. The buttresses  are now rounded and the stained glass windows and blind arches have also been modified.

During a recent renovation, the ladrillo details of the sanctuary, the Epistle side and Gospel side of the church were once again revealed after the cement were chipped-off.  The ladrillo fence of the campo santo could still be recognized.

AUTHOR’S NOTES

The church’s single level Baroque façade has a semicircular arched main entrance flanked by massive circular buttresses (in turn topped by urn-like finials) and semicircular blind arches (with two smaller semicircular arches within).

Above  the main entrance is a corbelled cornice with a blind semicircular arch enclosing three (one big flanked by two small) semicircular arch stained glass windows.  The triangular pediment, with broken curves along the top, has a centrally located blind rose window.

On the church’s left is the original four-storey square bell tower.  It has narrow semicircular windows, paired Solomonic columns (topped by urn-like finials) at the corners and is topped by a pyramidal roof. 

 

In 1973, the church became the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ilagan, a suffragan diocese (founded on January 31, 1979) of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuguegarao. However, in 2003, the diocese was transferred to the new Cathedral Church (and Bishops’ Residence) in Barangay Upi, in Gamu, Isabela.  In 2013, the present cathedral was placed under the patronage of St. Michael the Archangel. Despite the transfer, both city and diocese still remain under the patronage of St. Ferdinand III of Castile, whose feast day is celebrated on May 30. At present, the centuries-old structure is designated as a proto-cathedral by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ilagan.

The 4-storey bell tower is all that remained of the original Spanish-era church

On October 29, 2023, a mass was held for the celebration of the first Holy Rosary Festival wherein the pilgrim image of the St. Ferdinand Parish – Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary was episcopally crowned by Most Rev. David William V. Antonio, D.D., STHD., bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ilagan.

The April 22, 2024 fire that engulfed the church (photo: Rappler)

On April 22, 2024, Monday, at around 11:40 AM, a devastating fire started from the roof of the church while workers were installing steel trusses on the church’s ceiling,  It was extinguished after an hour but most of its interior was destroyed. The final investigation report of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) identified the total cost of the damages is estimated to be around P35-40 million which include antique religious items among others. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Ilagan City Engineering Office conducted a series of tests and studies which revealed that only around 20-30% of the structural integrity of the church remained after the fire took down most of its interior.

The burnt out interior of the church (photo: Philippine News Agency)

Just days after the fire that destroyed the proto-cathedral, the City Government of Ilagan, in coordination with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ilagan, were able to put up a temporary altar and steel benches covered with aluminum roofing sheets and steel trusses in the church-front courtyard (often referred by locals as the Family Park). Since April 28, 2024, while the clearing and restoration of the church is still ongoing, all regular masses of the parish were temporarily being held, by parish priest Fr. Ric-Zeus Angobang (he became parish priest in August 2023), in the make-shift altar.

St. Ferdinand Parish Church: Centro Poblacion, 3300 City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 624-2467.  Mobile number: (0997) 068-9967.

City Tourism Office: 2/F, City Hall Bldg., 3300 City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 624-1511. E-mail: tourism@cityofilagan.gov.ph.

City of Ilagan Tourist Information and Assistance Center: Bonifacio Park, 3300 City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 324-7769.  E-mail: ilaganinfocenter@gmail.com.

Isabela Provincial Tourism Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-3146.  Mobile number: (0917) 317-3820.  E-mail: isabelatourismoffice@gmail.com.

Isabela Provincial Information Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-0248.  Mobile number: (0927) 395-7555.  E-mail: letters_info@yahoo.com.

How to Get There: The City of Ilagan is located 429.3 kms. (an 8-hour drive) from Manila and 35.5 kms. (a 1-hour drive) from Cauayan City.

Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (Manila)

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Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (Church of St. Vincent de Paul)

The airy and relatively cool Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (the original and established center for the propagation of the Miraculous Medal and the Vista Domiciliaria), formerly the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, had its beginning in 1872 when the Vincentians bought a piece of land in the barrio of San Marcelino (a part of the Parish of San Fernando de Dilao in Paco) which was a rice field near the Pasig River.

Plaque installed by the Historical Research and Markers Committee in 1935

The house they built served as refuge to the seminarians and Vincentians housed in the San Carlos Seminary which was destroyed, together with most buildings in Intramuros, by the July 1880 earthquake.

The church portico

A chapel, adjacent to the Vincentian Central House, was built in 1883.  Later, the chapel was used as a church, from 1898 to 1909, when the church and convent of Paco were destroyed by the American forces in retaliation for their initial defeat by the Filipino forces following the declaration of war against the Americans in 1899. The parish was canonically established on December 6 1909 by Archbishop Jeremiah Harty (an alumnus of the Diocesan Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri which was under the direction of the Vincentians).

Historical plaque installed by the National Museum in 2018 declaring the church as an Important Cultural Property

The present concrete church was designed by Architect Andres Luna de San Pedro (son of the great Filipino painter Juan N. Luna) and built in 1912 (the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the Vincentians and the Sisters of Charity in the Philippines) by Belgian missionaries.

Decree of Erection

During World War II, the Japanese occupied the church for almost 7 months and, during the Battle of Manila in February 1945, was badly damaged when the Japanese burned the interior of the church, massacring scholars, professors and Vincentian Fathers who were living there.

Dedication of the archdiocesan shrine

From 1946, the dome, belfries and roof were restored and fitted with a stained glass windows. From 2007 to 2010, the pillars and walls were retrofitted; the galvanized iron of the roof was replaced with long-span, blue-colored sheets; the wooden trusses were replaced with steel trusses; and the entire exterior and interior walls of the church were repainted.

Interior of the church

On September 10, 2022, seismic base isolators (acting like wheels to stabilize the building during earthquakes) were mounted, by RBRA Consulting Firm, on the pillars of the church, making it the first earthquake-resistant church in the Philippines.

Painting of St. Vincent de Paul flanked by stained glass windows

On December 5, 2018, the church was declared as an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum of the Philippines and, on July 16, 2023, it was elevated into an archdiocesan shrine by Manila Archbishop Jose F. Cardinal Advincula.  On that same date, the newly-renovated retablo (altar backpiece) was also blessed.

 

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

The church has a Latin Cross layout and a dome.  Its two-level Baroque façade has balustraded portico with semicircular arched main entrance flanked by flat pilasters (with Corinthian capitals) and two smaller, semicircular arched entrances (topped by festoons) at the first level.  Above the main entrance, at the second level, is a rose window flanked by two semicircular arched windows.  

The triangular pediment, topped by a statue of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, has a centrally located bas relief also of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Flanking the façade are two four-storey, square bell towers with semicircular arched windows. The receding fourth level has a balustrade.

The main altar with its newly-renovated retablo (altar backpiece)

Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal: 959 San Marcelino St., Ermita, Manila 1000, Metro Manila.  Telefax: 2525-7853 and 2524-2022 local 101.  Feast of St. Vincent de Paul: September 27.  Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal: November 27.

How to Get There: The church is located within Adamson University (the church is commonly called Adamson Church), beside the university’s CS Walkway and SV Building.  The nearest bus stop to Adamson University is D. Romualdez Sr./United Nations Ave..

Laperal White House (Baguio City, Benguet)

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Laperal White House

The Laperal White House, also known as  Laperal Guesthouse, is known today as the “White House” due to its noticeable white exterior paint.  It was built by Filipino businessman Roberto Laperal, Sr. (1890-1966, he also built the Arlegui Guest House in 1929) in the 1930s. He and his wife Victorina (nee Guizon) Laperal made the house as their summer vacation home.

The narrow and elongated house, made with narra and yakal wood, was designed in Victorian style with its wooden planks and gables and steep roof. Inside are four rooms and a narrow, winding staircase.  The house withstood many natural and man-made disasters, such as the July 16, 1990 Luzon earthquake.

In 2007, the house was sold, by Roberto Laperal Jr. and his wife, Purificacion Manotok Laperal, to  Chinese Filipino billionaire tycoon Lucio Tan who had it renovated and refurbished, with proper maintenance, then made it into a tourist attraction. From then on, the house was opened to the public.

In 2013, the tycoon’s Tan Yan Kee Foundation transformed the ground floor of the house into a Philippine Bamboo Foundation (PBFI) museum (Ifugao Bamboo Carving Gallery) which houses Filipino artworks made of bamboo and wood. Today, it is the home of a new, upscale fine-dining restaurant called Joseph’s (owned by the older brother of ABS-CBN News broadcast journalist, Bernadette Sembrano) which was opened in December 2022 and serves Continental and contemporary French cuisine.

According to believers, the house is haunted, with stories of sightings of a little girl (said to be the three-and-a-half year old child of the owner who was killed while running, across the street, towards her nanny) standing motionless on the third step of the staircase fronting the house; a woman (said to be the nanny who killed herself in one of the bedrooms) looking out the third floor glass windows; and a white figure coming down, from the attic, down to the front entrance.

During World War II, the basement of the house was used by the Japanese as a garrison where, if stories are to believed, many were brutally tortured and executed, including members of the Laperal family.  Don Roberto survived the war but accidentally slipped, and fell to his death, from the stairs in front of the house.  He, as well as ghosts of family members, the torture and execution victims, as well as Japanese soldiers (seen in the upper bedrooms), still haunt the house.  These spirits are believed to violently push and scratch visitors to the place.

The front porch of the house. Don Roberto died here and the ghost of a little girl also appears here

Lucio Tan never stayed in the place during his trips to Baguio.   The 2010 horror movie White House, starring Gabby Concepcion, Lovi Poe, Iza Calzado and Maricar Reyes, was shot inside the building.

Laperal White House: 14 Leonard Wood Rd., Baguio City, 2600 Benguet. Coordinates: 16°24′40″N 120°36′17″E.

Baguio Convention and Cultural Center (Benguet)

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Baguio Convention and Cultural Center

Originally built as the Baguio Convention Center (BCC), this facility, sitting on a 10,000 sq. m. lot, with over 3,000 sq. m. building footprint, was established for the holding of conventions, gatherings, and other big events in the city.

Designed in the Brutalist architectural style by Architect Jorge Y. Ramos, it was inaugurated on July 17, 1978 by the late president Ferdinand E. Marcos during the opening of the World Chess Tournament championship series between Russian grandmaster Anatoly Karpov and Russian defector Victor Korchnoi.    From 2017 to 2020, it was renovated to provide a better venue for cultural and creative endeavors and, in 2022, it was renamed as the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center (BCCC).

Entrance portico with their four huge columns with halipan ((rat guard) motif

Situated across the University of the Philippines College Baguio and flanked by the summer courthouses of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, it exudes an ethnic flavor, with its pyramidal roof and huge concrete posts, resembling a traditional Ifugao bale with its halipan (rat guard) on its four posts at the entrance.  Considered the most spacious edifice North of Manila, it continues to cater to conferences, conventions, meetings, and other social functions in the city.

Jandy at the entrance

It boasts a large, pillar-less main hall, equipped with high-definition audio-visual equipment, that can accommodate more than 2,000 persons (500 on each side), making it ideal for conferences, exhibitions, trade shows and conventions.

The lobby with its two murals

It also has several function rooms for meetings, break-out sessions and other smaller events.   The center is also the venue for the Baguio Arts Festival, housing a permanent exhibit hall where local artists may have their works displayed and showcased. The basement also houses the city’s command center.

The center’s main hall

Two murals, an interconnected diptych with a red string running through it, were painted by local Baguio artists Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera (National Artist for the Visual Arts in 2006), Leonard Aguinaldo, Roland Bay-an, Kawayan de Guia, Venazir Marinez and John Frank Subido.  Based on the quincentennial of the arrival of the Europeans in the Philippines, both are permanently displayed at the lobby.

Seating area

Baguio Convention and Cultural Center: Governor Pack Rd., 2600 Baguio City.  Tel:  (074) 446 2009. Mobile number: (0928) 193-7336. E-mail: baguiocc2022@gmail.com.

Church of St. Rose of Lima (Gamu, Isabela)

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Church of St. Rose of Lima

This church, constructed in 1738 by Fr. Martin Fernandez, OP, was, together with the convent, destroyed by the strong Intensity 6 earthquake on December 29, 1949. From 1950-1951, a wooden church was constructed, next to the ruins of the Spanish church. La Salette missionary, Fr. Maurice Cardenal, started the restoration of the Spanish church. In 1968, a new roof was constructed together with the flooring.

The Baroque-style, brick facade

In March 1978, CICM missionary Fr. John Couvreur, the 75th parish priest, completely renovated the interior of the church and, in March 1979, the ruins of the sacristy were restored and transformed into a week day chapel.  From 1950 to 1951, a new brick bell tower, in Spanish style, was built but was later dismantled and the recovered materials were used to build chapels in several barrios.  From the ruins of the convent, a multi-purpose hall and dormitory were put up for seminars and meetings.

The paired columns (round and square) flanking the main entrance

On June 24, 1993, the roof and ceiling of the church was destroyed by typhoon Goring.  It was restored, in a short time, and a beautiful ceiling was built.  The church houses a life-size image of the Peruvian nun Rose of Lima, the patron saint of embroidery, gardening, and cultivation of blooming flowers.

The National Museum historical plaque

On June 27, 2019, the National Museum of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) recognized the church, and its surrounding complex, as an Important Cultural Property and, on May 12, 2023, a historical marker was installed. This church, as well as the Church of Our Lady of Atocha in Alicia, and the Church of Our Lady of the Pillar in Cauayan City, are examples of what is called as the “Cagayan Style” of Spanish churches that was inspired by the Tuguegarao church.

Check out “Church of Our Lady of Atocha“ and “Church of Our Lady of the Pillar“

The modern interior

AUTHOR’S NOTES

The church’s Baroque-style, brick façade has a semicircular arch main entrance flanked by paired (one square and one round) pilasters, above which are semicircular arched windows, and semicircular arch niches for statues (currently empty).  The undulating pediment, capped by pinnacles, has a small, centrally located rose window.

On the church’s right is a three-storey, square bell tower, with receding storeys, semicircular arch blind window on the first storey, segmental arch open windows on the two upper storeys and a pyramidal roof.  On the church’s left is the brick convent which is now a multipurpose hall, used for seminars and meetings, and a dormitory.

The main altar and retablo

Church of St. Rose of Lima: Poblacion, 3301 Gamu, Isabela.  Mobile numbers: (0916) 680-3680 and (0936) 360-1064.   E-mail: srlgamu@zoho.com. Feast of St. Rose of Lima: August 23.

Isabela Provincial Tourism Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-3146.  Mobile number: (0917) 317-3820.  E-mail: isabelatourismoffice@gmail.com.

Isabela Provincial Information Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-0248.  Mobile number: (0927) 395-7555.  E-mail: letters_info@yahoo.com.

How to Get There: Gamu is located 413.4 kms. (a 7.75-hour drive) from Manila and 21.5 kms.(a 30-min. drive) from the City of Ilagan.  The church is located in front of the town’s municipal hall.

Sinheungsa Temple (Sokcho City, South Korea)

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Main courtyard of Sinheungsa Temple

Part of Cebu Blue Ocean Academy-sponsored South Korea tour

One of the highlights of our visit to the very scenic to the often very busy Seoraksan National Park, Korea’s most beautiful national park, is our tour of Sinheungsa (sometimes spelled Shinheungsa), the District Headquarters Temple of the Third District of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, supervising all the temples located in the northeastern Gangwon Province Area.

Situated on the slopes of Seoraksan in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, it is translated in English as “Spirit Arising Temple,” “Divine Inspiration Temple” or “Burgeoning Temple” (referring to the budding of a lotus flower, the symbol of enlightenment).

Seoraksan National Park

One of two Buddhist temples within the bounds of the national park (the other is Baekdamsa), it is the main temple of the area known as Outer Sorak-san Mountain.  It is remarkable for its constant changing over the centuries (it not only changed its position and name, but also the school of Buddhism to which it adhered). The temple stores numerous works of Buddhist art such as paintings, sculptures and tapestries.

Check out “Seoraksan National Park”

Many tourists hiking Seoraksan pass by this ancient Korean Zen (Seon) temple (believed to be the oldest in the world) on their way up to Ulsanbawi (peak), reached by following the wall outside Sinheungsa.  They also come to this ancient temple, with its deep historical significance, because of its beautiful scenery.  Other temples with the name Sinheungsa are located in Seoul, Samcheok and Icheon.

Kensington Star Hotel, the original site of Hyangheonsa

Historical accounts vary as to whether this temple was first constructed (at the site of Kensington Star Hotel) by the famed Buddhist monk Jajang-yulsa (590-658 A.D.) in 653 A.D. (the sixth year of the reign of Queen Jindeok of the Silla dynasty), first called Hyangseongsa (Temple of Zen Buddhism), or in 637 A.D. following his return from studying in Tang China.

In 698 A.D., the seventh year of King Hyoso’s (687-702 A.D.) reign, it was destroyed by fire. Three years later, in 701 A.D., Sinheungsa Temple was rebuilt by Great Master Uisang-daesa (625-702 A.D.), another famous monk and founder of a religious sect, on the site of Neunginam Hermitage (the present location of Naewonam Hermitage). He also renamed the temple, this time to Seonjeongsa Temple.

Bojero – a pavilion built in 1770

For 1,000 years, the temple blossomed in reputation but, in 1642, the temple burned down again and it was rebuilt in 1648 during the 20th year of the reign of King Injo of the Joseon dynasty. Many of the buildings built during that time are still standing, like the sanctuary, Geukrakbo-jeon Hall, Myeongbu-jeon Hall, Boje-ru Pavilion, Samseong-gak Hall, etc.

According to a legend, after most of the monks at the temple left after the 1642 fire, the Three Venerable monks Yeongseo, Hyewon, and Yeon-ok all vowed that they would rebuild the temple one day, passionately praying the gido (ritual supplication prayer every day.  One day, they had the same dream in which an old silver-haired heavenly deity called Sanshin (Mountain Spirit) appeared and told them to change the location of the temple to the bottom of the gorge to prevent three big misfortunes.

Pointing to the ground where the temple is currently situated, he said, “If you build a temple here, there will be no damage from the three major disasters of fire, floods or storms.”  Afterwards, this deity disappeared.  Thus, the temple was re-constructed at the current location and renamed as “Sinheungsa,” meaning “the temple was blessed by God (sin) and became prosper (heung).”

During the 195-1953 Korean War, the temple was badly damaged.  In 1995, the Chinese character sin of the temple’s name was changed from sin (meaning “god”) to sin (meaning “new”), in their wish that the temple will revive Buddhism again in the Yeongdong area (eastern part of the Taebaek Mountain Range).

The author at Iljumun Gate

The first structure that greeted Frank, James, Kim and I at the temple is the top heavy Iljumun Gate (or “One Pillar Gate”). After passing through this entry gate, we noticed the sharp, jagged rocks of the 1,708 m. high Mt. Seoraksan (the third highest in the country) surrounding us on all sides.  After passing Iljumun , we soon came across the 14.6-m. (48-ft.) high, 108 ton Great Unification Buddha, a gilt-bronze Buddha statue called “Tongil Daebul” on the right.

Tongil Daebul (Great Unification Buddha)

The largest seated Buddha statue in the world, it is dedicated to Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha).  It sits atop a 4.3-m. (15-ft.) high lotus pedestal, of the same material, making the total height of 18.9 m. (62 ft.), excluding the lightning rod and the beautiful nimbus which surrounds Seokgamoni-bul’s head. It is flanked with 16 delicately engraved panels that tell the entire path of Buddha’s enlightenment through the words of Bodhisattva, messengers of Buddha’s teaching.

The 4.3 m. (15-ft.) high lotus pedestal flanked with 16 delicately engraved panels that tell the entire path of Buddha’s enlightenment through the words of Bodhisattva, messengers of Buddha’s teaching

This statue, serenely looking out on the amazing landscape of northern South Korea, cost 3.8 billion won (US$4.1 million) to erect, raised through the small contributions of over 300,000 anonymous donors visiting the temple over a decade in duration.  The construction started in 1987 and it was only finished in 1997 when the eyes were placed on the face. The statue, less than 50 kms. (30 mi.) from the impenetrable border between North Korea and South Korea, represents the crucial wish of the Korean people for the reunification of the divided country.

The beautiful nimbus surrounding the head of the Buddha.  Also shown is the center forehead adornment, half closed eyes and slight smile

The massive bronze statue is also positioned in the “Touching the Earth Mudra” (or the “Earth Witness Mudra”) which was the pose the Buddha had when he attained enlightenment. Tongil Daebul sits with legs crossed and half-closed eyes in meditation, his lips displaying a perceptible smile. His forehead is adorned with eight 8-cm. (3-in.) stones of amber, with a single piece of jade in the center that is 10 cms. (4 in.) in diameter. The Buddha’s robust torso is draped by a flowing robe with gentle folds, revealing the right shoulder.  The hands of Tongil Daebul are positioned in the mudra, symbolizing the “enlightened one.”

Contained within the hollow statue are three pieces of the Buddha’s sari, crystallized remains collected after his cremation, donated by the Myanmar government, and the Tripitaka, the original Buddhist scriptures.  The three sari are backed by three incarnations of Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion). The statue is fronted by beautiful bronze incense burners and lanterns. A great number of people come here to pray for their wishes.

A beautiful bronze lantern

In front of the Tongildae-bul are three pathways. The left pathway goes to Biseondae, a summer house where, according to legend, the fairy Ma-go rose to heaven. The middle pathway goes to Ulsanbawi, a natural big stone ball, and passes Naewon-am and Gyejo-am. It is also the way to the green bridge Sesim-gyo. The right pathway goes to the white bridge Sesim-gyo.

The closed spandrel arch Hyeonsu-gyo Bridge

We finally had your fill of this amazing statue (which took us some time) and we made our way up a path, for two to three hundred meters, then crossed a ravine beyond the statue via a newly built, closed spandrel arch bridge to the right called Hyeonsu-gyo.  After crossing the Hyeonsu-gyo Bridge, the long stone wall of the main temple grounds awaited us.

The long stone wall of the main temple ground

We entered the temple through the rather boxy Cheonwangmun (or Sacheonwangmun) Gate which mark’s the entrance of the temple’s boundaries.  It houses some excellent examples of the Four Heavenly Kings.

The boxy Cheonwangmun (or Sacheonwangnum) Gate

These four Cheonwang (king) statues, believed to be Buddha’s protectors and evil-fighters, are placed on either side – Jiguk Cheonwang (“King of the East”) with a sword, Damun Cheonwang (“King of the North”) with a lute, Gwangmok Cheonwang (“King of the West”) with a tower, and Jeungjang Cheonwang (“King of the South”) with a dragon.

L-R: Damun Cheonwang (“King of the North”) with a lute, and Jiguk Cheonwang (“King of the East”) with a sword

In contrast with the big, generous smile of Tongil Daebul, the intimidating expressions of these four Cheonwang (king) statues welcome all those that dare enter the temple grounds.

L-R: Jeungjang Cheonwang (“King of the South”) with a dragon, and Gwangmok Cheonwang (“King of the West”) with a tower

To enter the main temple courtyard, we had to pass through the low-lying Boje-ru Pavilion, along a wooden building on stilts that acts as a screen that hides the rest of the inner portion of the temple grounds at Sinheungsa Temple.

Boje-ru Pavilion, a wooden building on stilts

We had to watch our heads so that we don’t smack it up against the ceiling as we passed under it.

Entering the main courtyard from Boe-ru Pavilion

Straight ahead is the Geukrakbo-jeon (“Precious Building”) Hall (also called Kukrobojeon), the Provincial Tangible Cultural Property #14 which acts as the temple’s main hall. Its exterior walls are adorned with a colorful set of Shimu-do, Ox-Herding Murals that describes the practicing process in a mountain.  The stairs leading up to the hall are decorated with some ancient Gwimyeon reliefs.

Geukrakbo-jeon (Precious Building) Hall

The central chapel of Geukrakbo-jeon, located beside Samseong-gak, is Gangwon Province Tangible Cultural Property 14. It has an octagonal roof, three front rooms, two side rooms and also has a special structural pattern and a great variety of design. The canopy over the statue is the octagonal Bogung type of inner structure carved with a dragon. The flower figure window is very interesting.

The interior is elaborately decorated with a triad of statues (Korean Treasure #1721) centered by Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise) on the main altar. This statue is joined on on the left side by Gwaneum-bosal (Avalokitesvara, the Merciful Goddess” or the “Power for Amita-bul”) and Daesaeji-bosal (Mahasthamaprapta, the “Wise Goddess” or “The Bodhisattva of Wisdom”) on the right side.

Amita-bul (The Buddha of the Western Paradise), on the main altar, flanked by Gwaneum-bosal (Avalokitesvara, the Merciful Goddess” or the “Power for Amita-bul”) on the left, and Daesaeji-bosal (Mahasthamaprapta, the “Wise Goddess” or “The Bodhisattva of Wisdom”) on the right.

This triad, created by monk Muyeom (along with the monk Hyeonjin, they were the leading monk sculptors of the mid-17th century), dates back to 1651. The proportionate sizes of the three statues, seemingly simple, yet refined in appearance, speaks to the harmony of these Buddhist statues.

A pair of halls are located to the left rear of the Geukrakbo-jeon Hall. The first, Myeongbu-jeon (Judgment Hall), houses, under a beautiful red canopy, a statue of Jijang-bosal (the Bodhisattva of the Afterlife).  One of the most popular Bodhisattva shrine hall at a Korean temple, it’s meant to symbolize a “dark court” or “underworld.”  It is one of the more unique looking buildings in a temple because of its gruesome depictions of the afterlife, the uplifting paintings of salvation, the ominous judges and the serenely redemptive Jijang-bosal.

Myeongbu-jeon Hall

The triad (Korean Treasure #1749) on the main altar of the Myeongbu-jeon Hall, which is centered by Jijang-bosal was, like the triad inside the Geukrakbo-jeon Hall, also made by the monk Muyeom in 1651. Interestingly, various artists also participated in the production in separate procedures of the statues, including the molding, gilding and coloring of the three statues.

Samseong-gak Hall

To the rear of Myeongbu-jeon Hall is the Samseong-gak (“Three Saints”) Hall (also called Chilseong-gak), a shamanic shrine hall. It houses interesting, masterfully executed and vibrantly painted murals including images of of three Korean shaman deities – Chilseong (The Seven Stars), Dokseong (“The Lonely Saint”) and Sanshin (“The Mountain Spirit”), the modern Sanshin Taenghwa.  Its budo-won (stupa garden), containing 2 monuments, isdesignated as Provincial Tangible Cultural Property #115.

Murals of the three shaman deities

The temple also participates in the popular Temple Stay program which allows tourists looking to experience Zen meditation and asceticism to spend, for a fee, two or three days living the typical temple life of a Korean Buddhist monk, doing activities such as baru gongyang (communal Buddhist meal service), ceremonial service involving chanting, 108 bows aimed at removing 108 earthly desires, as well as programs of making a lotus lantern and Buddhist rosary.  The experience includes interpretations in Chinese, Japanese and English.  Visitors who donate money to the temple are given a new roof tile to write his wish on.

Rows of roof tiles with wishes written on it

Between Jeokmukdang and Beomjongru is an amusing figure of a turtle shooting water from its mouth. The sweet mineral water from this fountain is said to remove fatigue and provide freshness for those who drink from it.

The fountain

On the opposite side of the Kensington Star Hotel, at Hyangseongsa Temple Site, is a 3-story pagoda (National Treasure 443), an important cultural property and the northernmost extant Shilla Kingdom stone pagoda which demonstrates the traditional style of the Shilla period. Originally a nine-storey stone tower made of granite, only three storeys remain. When it was repaired, workers found a silver case for enshrining the sarira (bone fragments of Buddha, but it was empty.

The 3-storey Stone Pagoda at Hyangseongsa Temple Site

Sinheungsa: 1137 Seoraksan-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon Province, South Korea.  Open 24 hours.  Tel: +82 33-636-8001 and 033-636-7393.  Website: www.sinheungsa.krwww.sokchotour.com. Admission to Seoraksan National Park, where Sinheungsa Temple is located, is 2,500 won. Sinheungsa Temple itself is free.

How to Get There:

By Car: from Seoul, take National Road No. 6 and then National Road No. 44 in Yangpyoung. After passing Hongcheon, Inje and Hankyeryoung Service Area, join National Road No. 7 in Yangyang. Drive for 11.4 kms. to Naksan and soon you will reach Mulchi 3-way junction. Go left, following the sign to Seolakdong. Drive another 10.9 kms. and you will arrive in the parking lot at the entrance of Mt. Seolak.

From Inje, you can also take National Road No. 46 toward Misiryoung, not toward  Hankyeryoung Service Area. If you drive on the road for about 16.2 kms., you will reach the Yongdae 3-way junction. Make a right turn onto Lcal Road No. 466 and go another 13.6 kms. to Misiryoung. There is a 3-way junction with a sign for “Dae-myoung Seolak Leisure Town.“ From there, drive for 4.6 kms. toward Sokcho and you will get to ”Seokcho Plaza Resotel.”  Turn right and you will see “Cheoksan Hotspring” and, a little farther up, the hotel complex of Seolakdong and the parking lot at the entrance of Mt. Seolak.

By Public Transport:  From Seoul Express Bus Terminal (Express Bus Terminal St, Subway line No. 3 or 7, Orange or Dark green line), take the Express bus (available many times a day) to Sokcho or to the Sogongwon (small park) of Mt. Seolak. Local bus No. 7, from downtown Sokcho to Seolakdong, runs every 10 min. and it takes about half an hour. From Sokcho, you’ll need to take a bus (which leaves every ten minutes) bound for Seoraksan National Park. The bus ride takes around 20 to 25 minutes and the bus drops you off at Sogongwon, the entrance of the park.  From here, you’ll need to walk about ten minutes to get to Sinheungsa Temple.

Cebu Blue Ocean Academy: Building 5, EGI Hotel and Resort, M.L. Quezon National Highway, Looc, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu 6015, Philippines.  Tel: (032) 888-9868.  E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com.  Website: www.cebublueocean.com.  Baguio City (Benguet) Sister School: Pines International Academy, Romel Mansion, 3 Ignacio Villamor St., Brgy. Lualhati, Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines. Tel: 1 754-255-9818. E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com. Website: www.pinesacademy.com.

National Museum of Korea (Seoul, South Korea)

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National Museum of Korea

Part of Cebu Blue Ocean Academy-sponsored South Korea tour

After lunch at Korea House Restaurant at Lotte Tower Mall, we all boarded our van for the 10.6-km. (20-min.) drive to the 295,551 sq.m. (3,180,000 sq. ft.). National Museum of Korea, the flagship museum of Korean history and art in South Korea.  The largest museum in the country and the sixth largest museum in the world in terms of floor space, the museum has been committed to various studies and research activities in the fields of archaeology, history, and art, continuously developing a variety of exhibitions and education programs.

Here’s the historical timeline of the museum:

  • In 1909, Emperor Sunjong established Imperial Household Museum, Korea’s first museum, at Changgyeonggung Palace.
  • In 1945, when South Korea regained independence, the collections of the Imperial Household Museum and the Japanese Government General Museum (administered during Japanese rule of Korea) became the nucleus of the National Museum’s collection.
  • During the Korean War, to avoid destruction, the museum’s 20,000 pieces were safely moved to Busan.
  • After the war, when the museum returned to Seoul, it was housed at both Gyeongbokgung Palace and Deoksugung Palace.
  • On July 19, 1972, the museum moved again to a new building on the grounds of the Gyeonbokgung Palace.
  • In 1986, the museum was moved again to the Jungangcheong, the former Japanese General Government Building, where it was housed (with some controversy and criticism) until the building’s demolition in 1995.
  • In December 1996, the museum was opened to the public in temporary accommodations in the renovated Social Education Hall.
  • On October 28, 2005, the museum was officially reopened in its grand new building in Yongsan Family Park in the Yongsan Districtin Seoul.
  • On June 24, 2021, in celebration of the museum’s 20th anniversary, the National Museum of Korea opened a new branch in the boarding area of Incheon International Airport, in front of Gate No.22.

The museum is situated on what used to be a golf course that was part of the Yongsan Garrison, the central command of the United States Forces stationed in Korea. In 1992, the US Army returned a part of the land to the Korean government, which went on to become the Yongsan Family Park. In, 1993, the plans for the museum inside the park but its opening was delayed repeatedly by a helipad, which was eventually relocated in 2005 by agreement.

Special Exhibition Gallery

Designed by Chang-Il Kim of Junglim Architects, this museum is divided into three floors with the left part symbolically supposed to represent the past, while the right side represents the future. The museum contains over 310,000 pieces in its collection with about 15,000 pieces on display at one time. It displays relics and artifacts throughout six permanent exhibition galleries such as Prehistory and Ancient History Gallery, Medieval and Early Modern History Gallery, Donation Gallery, Calligraphy and Painting Gallery, Asian Art Gallery, and Sculpture and Crafts Gallery.

Main Auditorium

As of June 2012, the museum houses 67 national treasures, 131 general treasures and four folklore assets.

The museum is made from fire-resistant materials and, in order to protect the artifacts inside, the main building was built to withstand a magnitude 6.0 Richter Scale earthquake and the display cases are equipped with shock-absorbent platforms. There is also an imported natural lighting system which utilizes sunlight instead of artificial lights and a specially designed air-conditioning system.

Open plaza

The vast steel frame and reinforced concrete building has a fine stone interior that interacts with the water element in front (Mirror Pond and the scenery of Namsan Mountain behind.  The ground floor also contains parks; an outdoor stone garden with indigenous plants; waterfalls and pools; and traditional dye botanical garden are harmoniously arranged in the green space of the museum to create an elegant cultural space.  There’s also a collection of pagodas, stupas, lanterns, and steles including National Treasure of Korea No. 2, the Great Bell of Bosingak, the exemplar of Korean bells of the Joseon period.

The museum also has special exhibition halls, education facilities, a children’s museum, huge outdoor exhibition areas, restaurants, cafes, and shops. The Open Plaza, designed to evoke the image of a maru (wooden floor), an architectural element unique to Korea, serves as a gateway to every point in the museum, including the exhibition halls and performance facilities. It also naturally connects with the neighboring Yongsan Family Park through Mirror Pond, Mir Falls, and Barong Tree Pond.

 

Prominently displayed at the lobby is the “Gyeongcheonsa Ten-Story Pagoda” from Gyeongcheonsa Temple (National Treasure of Korea No. 86), the first known Korean stone pagoda to be made of marble (most were made from granite).  Originally erected at the monastery Gyeongcheonsa (at the foot of Mt. Buso in Gwangdeok-myeon, Gaepung-gun, Gyenggi-do Province) in the fourth year (1348) of King Chungmok of Goryeo, it was illegally smuggled, from its original site, to Japan in 1907 by by Tanaka Mitsuaki, the Japanese Minister of Imperial Household Affairs but, in 1918, was eventually recovered with the help of two Western journalists, Ernest T. Bethell from England and Homer Hulbert from America, who launched an international press campaign denouncing the theft.

Grace and the author

L-R: Frank, Grace, Oca, the author and Kim

In 1960, it was reconstructed and restored at Gyoengbokgung Palace but, because of acid rain and weathering, proved difficult to conserve. So, in 1995, it was dismantled again to repair serious damage. After an exhaustive conservation treatment project that took ten years, the restored pagoda was reconstructed at its current location inside in the National Museum of Korea’s ‘Path to History’ when the museum reopened in 2005.

Exploring the museum….

This pagoda, extraordinary in terms of its form, is much more complex than most other pagodas. Its shape is very unusual, with a three-tier base, a complex polygonal shape for the lower part (from the first to the third tier), and a square upper part.

The Ten-Storey Stone Pagoda

The base and the main body are elaborately decorated with carvings of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and floral designs.  On the body of the first storey is an engraved inscriptio, stating that the pagoda was built in 1348 (4th year of Goryeo King Chungmok). The eaves of the roof stones reflect the influence of Goryeo wooden architecture.

L-R: Injun, James, Kim, Engr. Ganzon, the author, Mamel, Grace, Frank and Oca

National Museum of Korea: 137, Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 04383, South Korea. Tel : +82-2-2077-9000.  Open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, 10 AM – 6 PM., Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10 AM – 9 PM. Entry closes 30 minutes before the closing time.  Closed on New Year’s Day, Seollal (Lunar New Year’s Day and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day. Admission free but charges apply for special exhibitions. Website: www.museum.go.kr. Coordinates: 37°31′26″N 126°58′49″E.

How to Get There: By subway, take Line 4 or the Gyeongui-Joungang Line (Munsan-Yongmun) to Ichon Station. Go out Exit 2 and walk 150 m. toward Yongsan Family Park. Information on elevator: An elevator is located in the direction of Exit 1 and Exit 2 of Ichon Station.

Cebu Blue Ocean Academy: Building 5, EGI Hotel and Resort, M.L. Quezon National Highway, Looc, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu 6015, Philippines.  Tel: (032) 888-9868.  E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com.  Website: www.cebublueocean.com.  Baguio City (Benguet) Sister School: Pines International Academy, Romel Mansion, 3 Ignacio Villamor St., Brgy. Lualhati, Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines. Tel: 1 754-255-9818. E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com. Website: www.pinesacademy.com.