Category Archives: Historical Sites

Royal Parliamentary House (Melbourne, Australia)

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Parliament House

It was our last whole day in Melbourne and, after an early breakfast, we checked out of our Airbnb apartment at Empire Apartments by 10 AM and consigned our luggage at a storage facility nearby.  We still had a full day for touring so we decided to complete what remained in our bucket list of places to see in the city.  We opted to first visit Parliament House, getting there by tram.

The meeting place of the Parliament of Victoria (one of the parliaments of the Australian states and territories), Parliament House is located on  the edge of the central city grid, its grand colonnaded front dominating the vista up Bourke Street. Designed by John Knight and Peter Kerr , its construction, commenced on December 1855, was done in stages (owing to its vast size and cost).

L-R: the author, Jandy, Grace and Kyle

The first stage, consisting of the two chambers (one for the Victorian Legislative Assembly and a smaller more ornate chamber for the Victorian Legislative Council), was officially opened, to great acclaim, on November 25, 1856 with the first session of the Victorian Government in the new chambers. With various sections completed over the following decades, it has never been completed with the planned dome one of the most well known unbuilt features of Melbourne.

In 1858, construction of the Library and eastern wing began and was completed in 1860. Freestone from Bacchus Marsh was chosen for the exterior but this decayed rapidly and, within a few years, large parts had to be replaced with stone from Tasmania. Upon completion of the library, the two legislative chambers were joined at the rear, resulting in a `U-shaped’ building. For 18 years, no further construction took place. Circa 1877, the first set of electrical bells, used to call members to divisions, were installed

In 1879, the Great Hall (used for formal receptions and banquets, it was renamed Queen’s Hall in 1887) and vestibule were completed. The vestibule, a formal entry to Parliament House, was completed up to the base of the proposed dome. However, for another decade, the grand front steps were not to be completed. In 1888, imported Minton were laid on the tiled floor of the Vestibule, spelling out “Where no Counsel is the People Fall; but in the Multitude of Counsellors there is Safety” (a quote from Proverbs 11:14).

In 1889, the grand classical colonnaded front of the building, using suitable sandstone from Mt Difficult in the Grampians National Park (where a quarry was opened up) as well as the grand front entry stairs was completed. In 1890, the final interior decoration was completed and, over the next year, final elements like the ornate wrought-iron fence around the grounds and the elaborate cast-iron lamps and the bronze lions of the entry stairs were completed.

There was no free tour as Parliament House was closed that day, it being a holiday (Melbourne Cup Day)

The last major additions, the refreshment rooms occupying the northeast corner, were paid for by the Federal Government after the Federal Parliament relocated to Canberra in 1927. The exterior, completed in 1929, followed the 1877 design.

Between 1901 and 1927, when Melbourne was the temporary national capital (the new capital city envisaged in the Australian Constitution did not yet exist and there were long delays in finding a site and commencing construction), it served as the first home of the Commonwealth of Australia‘s Federal Government and the meeting place of the Parliament of Australia. During these years the Victorian Parliament met in the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton.

Check out “Royal Exhibition Building“

Plaque commemorating the centennial of the First Seating of the Federal Parliament of Australia (May 10, 2001)

Some of the major events of the early federal period that took place in this building include:

In 1928, the building resumed its original use as the Victorian Parliament chambers. In 1982, the building is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and, from 2005–2006, it celebrated its 150th anniversary.

From 2016 to 2018, a $40 million two-storey office building, for MPs’ use, was constructed in the gardens of Parliament House. To specifically reduce its impact on Parliament House and other nearby buildings, the new building is embedded into the landscape.  

Royal Parliamentary House: Spring Street, East Melbourne VIC 3002, Australia. Open Mondays to Fridays, 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM.  Admission: Adult: 15AUD, Child: Free

The Great Ocean Road Adventure Tour: Loch Ard Gorge (Australia)

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Loch Ard Gorge

From The Twelve Apostles Visitor’s Facility, it was just a short 4.1-km. (5-min.) drive northwest, again via the Great Ocean Road/B100, to Loch Ard Gorge, one of the best-loved stop-off points along the road and the site of the most famous shipwrecks on the aptly named Shipwreck Coast.

Check out “The Great Ocean Road Adventure Tour: The Twelve Apostles”

Jandy (in green jacket) making his way down the gorge via the stairway

Here are some interesting trivia regarding the gorge:

The Tom and Eva Pillars

Part of Port Campbell National Park, the gorge was named after the 3-masted clipper ship Loch Ard, one of over (since 1797) 800 known shipwrecks in Victoria, of which only 240 of them have been discovered.

On March 2, 1878, the clipper ship Loch Ard, on its fifth and final voyage, left England for Melbourne. Captained by the 29-year old newlywed George Gibb, it had a 36-member crew and 18 passengers. On June 1, 1878, approaching the end of a tumultuous three-month journey, it got lost in a pea soup type of fog, collided with a rock reef and ran aground on nearby Muttonbird Island. Of the fifty-four passengers and crew, only two survived – 15 year old Tom Pearce (a ship’s apprentice) and 17 year old Eva Carmichael (an Irishwoman emigrating with her family).

The bruised and dazed Tom, who jumped off the ship, clung to an upturned lifeboat and was washed ashore.  After hearing cries for help, he swam back into the ocean for an hour to rescue Eva, who was clinging on a chicken coop and ship’s spar, from the water. Tom dragged the barely conscious Eva into a cave and then proceeded to climb out of the gorge to raise the alarm to local pastoralists. Two stockmen from the Glenample Station, three miles away, rushed to their help and immediately set into plan a rescue attempt. However, only four bodies were retrieved and buried. Eva’s parents, three sisters and two brothers drowned that night.

The world wanted a satisfying ending and thousands of people sent letters and telegrams calling for Tom and Eva to be married. However, they hailed from different social classes (Eva’s father was a doctor) and they went their separate ways. After three months in Australia, Eva sailed to Ireland where she went on to marry an aristocrat Captain Thomas Achilles Townshend. Tom, hailed as a hero (he received £1000 for heroism and the first gold medal struck by the Victorian Humane Society), returned to England and lived until age 49 and was buried in Southampton. Eva died in 1934 at the age of 73. 

The author at Loch Ard Gorge

To soak up the incredible rugged scenery, a flight of stairs allow us and other visitors’ access to the picturesque gorge. We descended down to an undeveloped, orange-colored beach surrounded by jagged cliff tops.  A sharp sea breeze was blowing inland. The beach was fronted by a smooth, pearlescent bay and an inlet of clear, blue water flanked by two yellow-washed unconnected rock pillars, with tufts of vibrant greenery, of the nearby Island Archway.

The author, Kyle and Grace

A clear example of the process of erosion in action, the pillars once formed a natural bridge over the gorge but collapsed in June 2009.  They are officially named Tom and Eva after the two teenage survivors of the Loch Ard shipwreck.

Tom Pearce’s Cave

The loch also has two small caves which served as shelter for Tom and Eva and are aptly named Miss Carmichael Cave and Tom Pearce’s Cave. After getting to shore, Tom and Eva spent most of June 1st sleeping in the same cave but Victorian sensibilities demanded that they could not spend this time together unsupervised. Thus that cave became Miss Carmichael’s Cave, while the big cave to the east became Tom Pearce’s Cave.

The weathered cliff face

Unusual for this section of coast, Loch Ard Gorge has a relatively calm interior. Its low energy beach has a moderate sloping dune that, in most tide and ocean conditions, makes the beach accessible with caution.

A pathway also allowed access to the eastern side of the gorge. There are also numerous plaques (detailing geological features), a small museum (detailing the site’s history as well as housing some artifacts salvaged from the wreck), a rest area and a cemetery housing many of the people that died.

Loch Ard Gorge: Great Ocean Road, Port Campbell National Park,  Victoria 3269, Australia.

St. Paul’s Cathedral (Melbourne, Australia)

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St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Paul’s Cathedral, an Anglican cathedral, is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Melbourne and the seat of the Archbishop of Melbourne (who is also the metropolitan archbishop of the Province of Victoria and, since June 28, 2014, the present seat of the Primate of Australia).

The cathedral’s Gothic transitional facade

Here are some interesting trivia regarding the cathedral:

  • The cathedral was designed by the English architect William Butterfield, known for his distinctive interpretation of the Gothic Revival.
  • It is one of Melbourne’s major architectural landmarks.
  • To fit the block, the cathedral was orientated in line with the central city grid, just off the north-south axis, rather than facing east, the traditional direction.
  • The location for the cathedral marks the place of the first public Christian service in Melbourne was conducted, by Dr. Alexander Thomson, in 1835.
  • In contrast to the bluestone Gothic of St Patrick’s Roman Catholic cathedral, on the eastern hill of the city, as well as other grand 19th century public buildings faced in light grey sandstone imported from other states, the cathedral’s interior stonework is  a mixture of sandstone from the Barrabool Hills and Waurn Ponds limestone, with contrasting stripes of Victorian bluestone, that gives the cathedral a warm coloring. Also, because the spires are built from Sydney sandstone and are 40 years newer, they are different and darker in color than the older parts of the building.
  • Once the Moorhouse Spire, the central spire, was completed to its full height of 95 m. (312 ft.), St Paul’s became the tallest structure in central Melbourne. With the retail heart height limit of 40 m., it has retained its dominance of the immediate area, dominating the city’s skyline when viewed from the south. For nearly 40 years, even without the spires, the cathedral presented a rather solid, horizontal mass.
  • From the southern approaches to the city, St. Paul’s Cathedral occupies a prominent and dominating location at the center of Melbourne, being situated diagonally opposite Flinders Street station (the hub of 19th-century Melbourne and an important transport center) and, immediately to its south, Federation Square (the new public heart of Melbourne). Continuing south down Swanston Street is Princes Bridge, which crosses the Yarra River, leading to St Kilda Road.
  • Besides Sunday and weekday Eucharists, the cathedral maintains the English tradition of a daily choral Evensong, being the only Australian Anglican cathedral to do so.
  • Its 2009 restoration project was acknowledged by the Australian Institute of Architects, the Victorian Chapter Heritage Architecture Award 2009 and the Lachlan Macquarie National Award for Heritage Architecture 2009.

Check out “Federation Square,” “Flinders Street Station” and “St. Patrick’s Cathedral”

Nighttime view of the cathedral

The awe-inspiring St. Paul’s Cathedral, planned in a traditional Latin cross, has a long nave, side aisles, short transepts, a tower at the crossing, with choir below, sanctuary and altar beyond, and a pair of towers framing the ceremonial main entrance.

Heritage Council of Victoria Plaques

The cathedral’s Gothic transitional architecture combines Early English and Decorative Gothic styles. Highlights include the fine polychromatic brickwork, beautifully patterned floor and wall tiles and mosaics, banded masonry stonework, exquisitely timbered roof and tiled dado walls.

The cathedral’s nave

It has played host to many prime ministers, premiers, governors, governors-general and other significant people; hosted many significant occasions in national, Commonwealth and international history; and continues to be the choice venue for many state funerals.

The north aisle

Here’s the historical timeline of the cathedral:

  • In 1880, the foundation stone was laid by the Governor of Victoria, John, Earl of Hopetoun (later Marquess of Linlithgow), in the presence of the Rt Revd Charles Perry, Bishop of Melbourne.
  • In 1884, Butterfield resigned due to disputes between him and the church authorities in Melbourne. The job was then awarded to a local architect, Joseph Reed (of the Australian firm Reed, Henderson and Smart), who completed the building generally faithfully to Butterfield’s design
  • In 1889, Reed designed the attached chapter house in a style matching Butterfield’s.
  • On November 15, 1889, the cathedral’s bells were dedicated and first rung for the departure of Sir Henry Loch (later Baron Loch), the Governor of Victoria.
  • On January 22, 1891, the cathedral (without the spires) was consecrated by the Rt Revd Field Flowers Goe, Bishop of Melbourne.
  • In 1926, construction of the spires began to a new design by John Barr of Sydney, in a more traditional Gothic Revival style and with different stone from the Sydney area. It was also much taller than Butterfield’s original design.
  • In 1929, the pipe organ was rebuilt by Hill, Norman & Beard when the action was electrified and a new console supplied.
  • In 1932, the spires reached their full height
  • On April 30, 1933 a service of thanksgiving was held for their completion.
  • The 1960s saw extensive work completed to the exterior of the cathedral
  • On November 28, 1986, on his arrival in Melbourne, Pope John Paul II paid a visit to St Paul’s Cathedral in recognition of the dialogue between the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches in Melbourne fostered by their respective former archbishops, the Most Reverend Sir Frank Woods (Anglican) and the Most Reverend Sir Frank Little (Roman Catholic).  As the Pope entered the cathedral, the choir sang “Ecce vicit Leo.” After this, the Pope prayed for Christian unity and lit a meter-long candle.
  • From 1989 – 90, the $726,000 restoration work of the organwas completed, by Harrison & Harrison Ltd, Durham, with the help of a major National Trust The façade pipe stenciling was done by Marc Nobel, Christine Holmes and John Dale after a design by Lyon, Cottier, Wells & Company.
  • On November 28, 2007, a carol service called Carols from St Paul’s Cathedral Melbourne featuring the cathedral choir, was recorded by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and broadcast Australia-wide on Christmas Eve.
  • In 2009, the A$18 million, seven-year major restoration works, under the guidance of Falkinger Andronas Architects and Heritage Consultants (now Andronas Conservation Architecture) and undertaken by Cathedral Stone, were completed. Significant repairs were done to restore the spires. Stone heads of the former dean David Richardson and the philanthropist Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, created by Melbourne sculptor Smiley Williams and carved by stonemason Daryl Gilbert, were added to the spires.  Also installed were the colored glass “Eighth Day” lantern, in the Moorhouse Tower, and  new dalle de verre colored glass doors, created by Janusz and Magda Kuszbicki, and a glass walled airlock for the west Great West door.

The south aisle

The interior, compared to the exterior, feature rich colors and strident color contrasts, characteristic of Butterfield’s work, with all the stonework constructed using Waurn Ponds limestone, its stripes contrasting with the very dark-colored local bluestone.

Chancel and High Altar

The dado (created with patterned glazed tiles), floor (entirely paved with encaustic tile imported from the English firm of Maw & Co., featuring both patterned layouts and patterns within the tiles), high altar and reredos (made from Devonshire marble, alabaster and glittering Venetian glass mosaics) are outstanding examples of High Victorian Gothic polychromy.

The narthex

In Persian tile, on the rear wall of the narthex, is a replica of an 8-pointed star found in two churches of the Anglican Diocese of Iran (the church of St. Simon the Zealot in Shiraz and St. Luke’s Church in Isfahan).  There are two baptismal fonts – a round font of Harcourt granite (installed when the cathedral was first built) and a cruciform immersion font (built in 1912 in memory of Field Flowers Goe, third Bishop of Melbourne). One of the carved figures on the pulpit is said to be the image of a daughter, who died in infancy, of the former Mayor of Melbourne.

Baptismal Font (South Aisle)

The Chapel of Unity, a memorial chapel, commemorates the historic visit of Pope John Paul II: only the third time in four centuries when a reigning Pope had made an official visit to an Anglican cathedral.

Immersion Font

The pipe organ, commissioned from English builder T. C. Lewis and Co  (one of the most prominent organ builders of the 19th century) of Brixton, England, cost over 6,500 pounds for its construction, shipping and installation before it was played at the cathedral’s 1891 inaugural service .

Interior from the south aisle

Since then, various modifications and maintenance works have been carried out. After the 1989 -90 restoration, the organ, housed in the cathedral’s south transept behind newly stenciled façade pipes, now has four manuals and pedals with 53 stops, all with electro-pneumatic action.

Commemorative plaques along the wall

St. Paul’s ring of 13 bells, a gift from Thomas Dyer Edwardes and all cast by Mears & Stainbank of Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1889, consists of 12 bells set for change ringing in the key of C♯, plus an extra bell to allow different subsets of the full number to be rung still to a diatonic scale.  The tenor originally weighed 31 cwt but, after the whole set was sent to Taylor’s Bell Foundry in 1963 for retuning, it now weighs 29cwt.

One of the cathedral’s stained glass windows

St. Paul’s Cathedral : 198 -206 Flinders Street cor. Swanston Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia. Tel: 9653 4333. E-mail: welcome@stpaulscathedral.org.au. Website: www.stpaulscathedral.org.au. Open Mondays to Fridays, 8 AM – 6 PM; Saturdays, 9 AM – 4 PM and Sundays, 7:30 AM – 7:30 PM.  Masses: Sundays (8 AM, 9 AM, 10.30 AM, 6 PM), Mondays to Saturdays (12.15 PM).

St. Peter’s Anglican Church (Melbourne, Australia)

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St. Peter’s Anglican Church

St. Peter’s Church, an Anglican parish church on Eastern Hill in the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, is located opposite St Patrick’s Cathedral, the Roman Catholic cathedral, and the Eastern Hill Fire Station. The parish is well known as belonging to the Anglo-Catholic or High Church tradition.

Check out “St. Patrick’s Cathedral“

Here’s the historical timeline of the church:

  • On June 18, 1846, the foundation stone of the church was laid by Charles La Trobe, Superintendent of the Port Phillip District.
  • In 1847, the building was first used for services even though the first part was not completed.
  • On February 13, 1848, the letters patent of Queen Victoria declaring the city status of Melbourne were read on the steps of St Peter’s.
  • On August 6, 1848, the church was formally opened. The initial church constructed was brick, with stone facings, and had a shingled roof.
  • In 1854, the building was enlarged to designs by architect Charles Vickers, with the nave increased in length (to bring its seating capacity up to 1050), the transepts with galleries and a chancel added, and the shingles roof replaced with slate.
  • In 1876, Leonard Terry carried out alterations including an enlarged chancel, an added vestry, and a baptistery, with the new chancel opened on June 29, 1876.
  • In December 1876, work continued with five stained glass windows by Ferguson and Urie added to the chancel.
  • In 1897, repairs and alterations were carried out by Walter Butler of Butler and Inskip which included installation of gas lines and Tobin tubes for ventilation, removal of the transept galleries, and a new layout of pews to include a central and two side aisles.
  • From 1927-29, further alterations took place including installation of timber paneling in the transepts and chancel, and installation of a choir screen by Louis Williams.
  • In 1945, a stained glass window, designed by Napier Waller to commemorate the New Guinea mission (and the eleven Anglican martyrs) and to mark the centenary, was installed in the north transept. A second Waller window in the south transept was subsequently added.
  • In March 1974, the current organ (the church’s third) was constructed and completed by George Fincham and Son Pty Ltd.

St Peter’s is the oldest Anglican church standing on its original site in the inner city area. St. Peter’s Eastern Hill precinct is also of architectural significance for its association with a successive number of prominent Melbourne architects who contributed to the development of the church precinct: Charles Laing (designed tower and brick and stucco section), Charles Vickers, Leonard Terry, William Pitt, Walter Butler, Louis Williams, and Alexander North. The group of buildings forms a picturesque precinct.

The substantially intact vicarage and school are early examples of William Pitt’s work while St. Peter’s Hall is the first work in Victoria of Tasmanian émigré architect Alexander North who specialized in church architecture. The New Guinea windows, in the north transept, are of historical significance for their representation of the eleven Anglican martyrs.

As a schoolgirl, the opera singer Nellie Melba had organ lessons at the church while the novelist Henry Handel Richardson worshiped at St Peter’s and fictionalized this part of her life in an episode in “The Getting of Wisdom.”

Historical plaque of church

St Peter’s is also renowned for the quality of its music. The Choir of St Peter’s Eastern Hill, a volunteer mixed choir (that leads the church’s liturgical music every Sunday as well as for weekday feasts), is conducted by Andrew Raiskums.

Opposite the church is the Cross of Sacrifice, a 6 ft. high bronze statue of a crucified Christ on a sandstone pedestal which commemorates the 366 young men and women from the Anglican Church of St. Peter who served in World War I.

Cross of Sacrifice

It was unveiled On March 16, 1924 by the Governor-General Lord Forster and blessed by the Archbishop Lees (Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne).

Plaque of cross

St. Peter’s Church: corner of Albert and Gisborne Sts., Melbourne, Victoria,

Royal Exhibition Building (Melbourne, Australia)

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Royal Exhibition Building

We took a break from our tour of the Melbourne Museum and proceeded to the foyer, with other tourists, to meet up with our guide for the 2 PM  tour of the adjacent Royal Exhibition Building (“the REB”), the largest item in Museum Victoria’s collection. It was drizzling when we crossed over to the other side.The building, sitting on 64 acres at the north-eastern edge of the central business district, is 150 m. long and is flanked by Victoria, Carlton and Rathdowne Streets.  When we arrived, the Great Hall was being set up for a scheduled exam, with desks being arranged.

Check out “Melbourne Museum” and “Carlton Gardens”

Here are some interesting trivia regarding this building:

  • It is the first building in Australia to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, being one of the last remaining major 19th-century exhibition buildings in the world.
  • The building is the largest design of Reed and Barnes Architecture.
  • When electric lighting was installed in 1888 for the Centennial International Exhibition, it became one of the first in the world that was accessible during night time.
  • It is the world’s most complete surviving site from the International Exhibition movement 1851–1914
  • The building is one of the world’s oldest remaining exhibition pavilions
  • When it was built, the Great Hall was the largest building in Australia, and the highest building in Melbourne.

Plaque Commemorating the Laying of the Foundation Stone

This building, built in 1879-80 as part of the international exhibition movement (between 1851 and 1915, it presented over 50 exhibitions around the globe), is representative of the money and pride Victoria had in the 1870s.

Plaque Commemorating the Centenary of the Melbourne Museum

Designed by architect Joseph Reed of Reed and Barnes Architecture (they also designed the Melbourne Town Hall, the State Library of Victoria and the Baroque style gardens), the Royal Exhibition Building is composed of brick, timber, steel and slate.

The building’s soaring dome

Its soaring dome was modeled on Brunelleschi’s dome at the 15th century Florence Cathedral while the main pavilions were influenced by the style of Rundbogenstil  (a round-arched architectural style combining elements from Byzantine, Romanesque, Lombardic and Italian Renaissance buildings) and several buildings from Normandy, Caen and Paris.

The building, with the scale of the French Beaux Arts, has a Latin cross-shaped cruciform plan.  The long, nave-like wings are symmetrically placed east-west about the central dome with a shorter wing to the north.

Grace and Jandy in front of the building

The building consists of a Great Hall, of over 12,000 sq. m., flanked by lower annexes to the north on the east and west sides, and many temporary galleries between.  The Great Hall, still in beautiful condition, is crowned by an octagonal drum and dome.

The Great Hall

The dome, rising 68 m. and 18.3 m. across, has a double shell and was formed using a cast iron and timber frame. There was a viewing platform around the dome that allowed visitors to survey the progress of the booming city.  Windows in the drum of the dome, at the crossing, bring in sunlight for a bright open space.

Our tour guide

The sober interior, painted in the color scheme of 1901, has murals.  The great dome, painted to represent the sky, has the words (surviving from 1888) “Victoria Welcomes All Nations” underneath plus four mottos suitable for a new nation: Dei gracia (“By the Grace of God”), Carpe diem (“Seize the Day”), Aude sapere (“Dare to be Wise”) and Benigno numine (“With Benign Power”). A frieze shows the products of agriculture and hints at the wealth of the new nation.

Pendentive: Hercules

Pendentive: Venus

At the pendentives are the mythological figures of Hercules, Venus, Mars and Mercury while on the arches are lunettes (half-moon shaped spaces where the arches meet cornices) rich with allegorical symbolism representing The Arts Applied to Peace in the north, The Arts Applied to War in the south, Federation (showing Britannia welcoming the six federated states as young women) at the west and Government (showings Knowledge enthroned, surrounded by figures representing the arts, education and defense) in the east.

Lunette: Arts Applied to Peace (North)

Lunette: Government (East)

Eight women, in draped costumes, symbolize the Four Seasons, Night and Morning, and Justice and Truth. Under the dome are plaster heads (including an Indigenous Australian, a Chinese man, and an Indian) from the first decorative scheme of 1880.

Lunette: Arts Applied to War (South)

Lunette: Federation (West)

Throughout the 20th century, smaller sections and wings of the building were subject to demolition and fire.  However, the main building, known as the Great Hall, survived.

Justice

Throughout the 1990s and in 2004, it received restoration. Renovations include the timber flooring, building services, externals, and stonework. For safety, most timber staircases have been replaced by concrete. Through all renovations though, the site has continued to be very authentic.

Truth

Here is the historical timeline of the building:

  • On December 1877, a completion was announced for the design of a suitable building for Melbourne’s proposed international exhibition. Eighteen entries were received and the winner was Joseph Reed
  • On February 19, 1879, the foundation stone was laid by Victorian governor George Bowen.
  • Built by David Mitchell (who also built Scots’ Churchand St Patrick’s Cathedral), it was completed in just 18 months.
  • On October 1, 1880, it was opened by the Marquess of Normanby, the governor, the Melbourne International Exhibition. The walls then were left bare and windows and door joinery colored green.
  • In 1885, an aquarium, museum and picture gallery was opened at eastern annex of the Exhibition Building.
  • On August 1, 1888, the building hosted the Centennial International Exhibition celebrating a century of European settlement in Australia. Its decoration was by interior designer John Ross Anderson (also known for the interior design of the ANZ ‘Gothic’ Bank) and the walls were painted for the first time.  The exhibition closed on January 31, 1889.
  • On May 9, 1901, following the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia on January 1, the formal opening of the first Parliament of Australia, witnessed by the Duke of Cornwall and York (later King George V) and 12,000 guests, was held there. After the official opening, the Federal Parliament moved to the Victorian State Parliament House. For the next 26 years, Victorian Parliament moved to the Exhibition Building.
  • In 1902, the building hosted the Australian Federal International Exhibition.
  • On February 4, 1919, the Exhibition Building was turned into a hospital to treat Melburnians struck down by the Spanish flu.
  • In 1948, via a vote by members of the Melbourne City Council, it was narrowly decided not to demolish the building.
  • In 1953, the wing of the building which once housed Melbourne Aquariumburnt down.
  • In 1956, it was a venue for the 1956 Summer Olympics, hosting the basketball, weightlifting, wrestling, and the fencing part of the modern pentathlon
  • In the 1970s, the western annex was demolished.
  • In 1979, the grand ballroom, the last remaining original annex, was demolished amid controversy.
  • On October 1, 1980 during a visit to Victoria, Princess Alexandraof Kent unveiled a plaque which commemorated both the opening of the new mirror-glass “Centennial Hall” (which replaced the grand ballroom) and the centenary of the building. She also unveiled a second plaque commemorating the bestowal of the title “Royal” on the building by Her Majesty the Queen.
  • In 1987, the first conservation assessment of the building was undertaken by Alan Willingham.
  • On July 1, 2004, the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens was granted listing as a World Heritage Site. The heritage listing states that “The Royal Exhibition Building is the only major extant nineteenth-century exhibition building in Australia. It is one of the few major nineteenth-century exhibition buildings to survive worldwide.”
  • In October 2009, Museum Victoria embarked upon a major project to restore the former German Garden (covered by asphalt in the 1950s for car parking) of the Western Forecourt.

Winter

Still in use today as a commercial exhibition venue, the Royal Exhibition Building hosts various exhibitions and other events on a regular basis such as the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. It is closely tied with events at the The Melbourne Museum which offers regular tours here.

The dome

The Royal Exhibition Building is also used as an exam hall for the University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne High School, Nossal High School, Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School and Suzanne Cory High School.

However, the building is no longer Melbourne’s largest commercial exhibition centre. The Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, located in Southbank to the south of the Melbourne central business district, is the modern alternative.

Royal Exhibition Building: 9 Nicholson St. cor. Victoria Parade, Carlton Gardens, Melbourne 3053, Australia. Admission (purchased at Melbourne Museum): $10 (adults), $8 (concession) and $7 (child/member).  Tours may not run when the building is in use for certain events and exhibitions. Tel: 13 11 02.

Church of St. Dominic of Guzman (Abucay, Bataan)

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Church of St. Dominic of Guzman

The fourth pilgrim church we visited in our visita iglesia was the Church of St. Dominic of Guzman in the town of Abucay.  This church was built by Fr. Geronimo de Belen in the early 1600s after the establishment of the Dominican mission in Abucay on June 10, 1588.

PHC Historical Marker

In 1608, it housed one of the earliest printing presses in the country.  Here, Dominican Friar Fr. Francisco Blancas de San Jose, O.P.  and Don Tomas Pinpin printed several books in Spanish and Tagalog.

The 5-storey bell tower on the church’s left

This church’s court was the site of a fierce battle between the Dutch and Pampango natives on June 23, 1647.  After the battle, hundreds of Kapampangans and Spanish officials and priests were massacred in the church complex, while others were taken to the former Dutch colony of Batavia (the original downtown area of Jakarta, Indonesia).

The wooden door at main entrance

The church was damaged during the September 16, 1852 earthquake.   Destroyed by fire in 1870, it was later reconstructed by Fr. Jose Diego Pelaez. In 1925, major changes were made in the church’s structure.

The balustered pediment

The church’s two-level, Renaissance -style facade, divided vertically by single or coupled Doric columns, has a semicircular arched main portal flanked by statued niches on the first level, and three segmental arched fenestrations on the second level.

The church’s interior

The undulating pediment, its top lined with balusters, with a statued niche of St. Dominic of Guzman in the center.  All are topped by triangular pediments, each with a pair of decorative brackets to support it.

The main altar

The second-level cornice is topped by four urn-like finials. To the right of the church rises the five-storey bell tower, each of its storeys defined by decorative balusters and ornamented with semicircular arched windows. It still houses the bells donated in 1839 and 1859.

The dome above the main altar

Church of St. Dominic of Guzman: Brgy. Laon, Abucay, BataanTel: (047) 237-3830. Feast of Saint Dominic of Guzman: Last Sunday of October.

How to Get There: Abucay is located 115.9 kms. (a 2.5-hr. drive) from Manila and 7.6 kms. (a 15-min. drive) north of Balanga City.

Bisita Iglesia: Bataan

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It was now Black Saturday in Mariveles, Bataan and, to avoid the rush of tourist returning to Manila the next day, Maricar, Norman, Jandy and I opted to leave The Oriental Bataan in the morning, right after breakfast.  Normally, returnees take the Roman Superhighway (Bataan Provincial Expressway) to avoid the traffic gridlock in towns along the MacArthur Highway but we chose to travel via the latter to go on our own Lenten tradition of Bisita Iglesia (visit to 7 churches).

Check out “Hotel and Inn Review: The Oriental Bataan”

Jandy and Maricar at Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Orion

Aside from the old Spanish-era churches along the MacArthur Highway, you’ll also pass a lot of interesting Death March Markers as well as World War II monuments, museums and shrines.

Check out “Bataan’s Death March Markers” and “Museo ng Kagitingan”

Church of Our Lady of the Pillar in Pilar

The churches we visited were:

  • Church of St. Michael the Archangel (Orion) – this 352 year old church, the third oldest in the province, was repaired by the Dominicans upon their return in 1832.

Check out “Church of St. Michael the Archangel“

Church of St. Michael the Archangel

  • Church of Our Lady of the Pillar (Pilar) – this 218 year old church, the seventh oldest in Bataan, was burned by revolutionaries on May 28, 1898.  The image of Nuestra Senora del Pilar survived.

Check out “Church of Our Lady of the Pillar“

Church of Our Lady of the Pillar

  • Diocesan Shrine and Cathedral of St. Joseph (Balanga City) – this 305 year old church, the fifth oldest in Bataan was, during World War II, used by the Japanese 14th Army as an artillery emplacement to bombard Mt. Samat.  On March 19, 2015, the cathedral was formally declared as a Diocesan Shrine.

Check out “Diocesan Shrine and Cathedral of St. Joseph“

Diocesan Shrine and Cathedral of St. Joseph

  • Church of St. Dominic of Guzman (Abucay) – this 431 year old church, the oldest in Bataan, housed one of the earliest printing presses in the country and its court was the site of a fierce battle between the Dutch and PPampango natives on June 23, 1647.

Check out “Church of St. Dominic of Guzman“

Church of St. Dominic of Guzman

  • Church of St. Catherine of Sienna (Samal) – this 423 year old church, the second oldest church in Bataan, was burned by Katipuneros in 1898 to drive out their enemies in the convent.  The present church and convent were rebuilt from 1903 to 1905.

Check out “Church of St. Catherine of Sienna“

Church of St. Catherine of Sienna

  • Church of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary (Orani) – this 309 year old church, the fourth oldest in Bataan, is one of the best in the province.  Repaired by Dominican friars in 792, it was badly damaged during the September 16, 1852 earthquake.

Check out “Church of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary“

Church of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

  • Church of St. Peter, Martyr of Verona (Hermosa) – this 263 year old church, the sixth oldest in Bataan, was built in stone by Dominican friars,  destroyed by fire several times but was renovated in 1869.

Check out “Church of St. Peter, Martyr of Varona”

Church of St. Peter, Martyr of Varona

Bataan Provincial Tourism Office: Roman Superhighway, Balanga City, Bataan.  Tel: (047) 237-4785

Bataan’s Death March Markers

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Starting Point of Death March Marker

Passing along the National Road on our way to visit Bataan’s pilgrim churches, we passed a number of Death Mark Markers, silent white obelisks, created over a decade ago, that stand as mute reminders of the path, from Mariveles and Bagac to the gates of the former Camp O’Donnell (now the Capas National Shrine), taken by nearly 75,000 soldiers, both Philippine and American, after the Fall of Bataan.

Jandy beside the historical plaque at KM 0 Marker

From Bataan to Tarlac, there are 138 Death March markers in all – 97 in Bataan, 33 in Pampanga and 8 in Tarlac. Each kilometer (KM) is marked by a concrete obelisk. The Zero Kilometer Death March monument (“Pinagsimulan ng Death March”), in Mariveles, marks the spot where, on April 10, 1942, thousands of Filipino and American soldiers started their grueling 160-kilometer march to Capas in Tarlac. For the three days that they marched, they starved, saw thousands of their companions die, and faced the brutality of the Japanese captors, all the while showing strength and integrity.

Plaque at KM 6 Death March Marker

Their construction and installation all paid for through donations, the funds for the perpetual maintenance of the markers, however, have not been sufficient. The tile plaques have degraded to illegible and paint peels due to tropical weather conditions of excessive heat, rain, as well as mildew and flooding in typhoon season. Furthermore, given that these obelisks are placed beside the National Road, they inevitably suffer some accidental, negligent or intentional (vandalism) damage. Many plaques have simply disappeared and need to be replaced.

Dedication plaque at KM 6 Death March Marker

Either due to negligence or ignorance, some of these mute mementos  were also destroyed, damaged, uprooted, covered with rubble or neglected by road crews of contractors hired by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), notably the 6th and 109th kilometer in Mariveles (Bataan) and at the Calumpit Bridge (Capas, Tarlac) respectively. Some were left ignored by residents on grassy lawns (which may soon grow out of hand and hide the marker behind its tall leaves) and a lot were removed from their original locations and dumped somewhere else.

KM 21 Death March Marker

There is hope though via the Filipino-American Memorial Endowment (FAME).  To provide for the perpetual maintenance on all 138 Death March markers, this non-profit foundation’s goal is to raise at least enough money to annually provide for the maintenance and replacement of 20% of the plaques.

Km. 35 Marker in Orion

According to Robert Hudson, FAME vice president whose father was one of the survivors of the Death March, to replace an entire obelisk, it would cost at least US$350 (P18,270) while, on average, it would cost about US$200 (P10,440) to install a porcelain tile plaque in an obelisk.  Cleaning an obelisk (including materials and travel), on the other hand, averages $25 (P1,300) for each obelisk. Any fund donated in excess of annual maintenance needs will be used for other solutions (better coatings, purchasing permanent land for placing the markers, and better materials for future replacement markers).

Km. 58 Marker in Orani

Filipino-American Memorial Endowment (FAME): Tel: (632) 818-7911. E-mail: fame@amchamphilippines.com.  Website: www:filipino-americanmemorials.org.

Zōjō-ji Temple (Tokyo, Japan)

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Zojo-ji Temple

It was our fourth day in Tokyo and, after breakfast at the hotel, we visited the San’en-zan Zōjō-ji (三縁山増上寺), a Jōdo-shū Buddhist temple located in the Shiba neighborhood of Minato.  The main temple of the Jōdo-shū (“Pure Land”) Chinzei sect of Buddhism in the Kantō region, it was founded in 1393 as the sect’s eastern Japan seminary.

Daimon Main Gate

During the Edo period, Zōjō-ji, together with Kan’ei-ji, were notable for their relationship with the Tokugawa clan, the rulers of Japan.  Zōjō-ji was the Tokugawa‘s family temple and six of the 15 Tokugawa shoguns were buried in the Taitoku-in Mausoleum in the temple grounds. Kazu-no-Miya Chikako, Tokugawa Iemochi’s wife, is also buried in Zozo-ji. Tokugawa Ieyasu had the temple moved, first to Hibiya and then, in 1598, at the time of expansion of Edo Castle, to its present location.

Approaching the Sangedatsumon

With the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate, the grounds took on the character of a public park. Parts of the former grounds of the temple are now occupied by a park and two hotels. The 65-hectare Shiba Park, Japan’s oldest public park (designated as such in 1873), is built around the temple, with the Tokyo Tower standing beside it.

Shiba Park

At its peak, the temple grounds covered an area of 826,000 sq. m. and contained 48 subsidiary temples, over 3000 priests and 150 temple schools but, following the decline of Buddhism during the Meiji period (1868-1912), the temple’s original buildings, temples, mausoleums and the cathedral were destroyed by fire, natural disasters or burned in air raids during the Bombing of Tokyo in World War II.

Tokyo Tower

After the war, reconstruction began.  In 2015, a Treasure Gallery was opened on the underground level of the Daiden.  Currently, it houses paintings of Kanō Kazunobu and a model of the Taitoku-in Mausoleum. Additional graves are located in the cemetery behind the Daiden.

A concrete myojin-style torii just to the right of the daibonsho

From our hotel, we walked to the nearby Akasaka-Mitsuke Station and took the short, 12-min train ride to the Hamamatsucho Station on the JR Yamanote and JR Keihin-Tohoku Line. The temple was a 10-min. walk from the station. It is the first indication that we have reached Zojo-ji Temple is the Daimon Gate, the concrete reconstruction of original main gate of Zojo-ji destroyed during World War II. As it is now located along a street, cars pass underneath it.

Sangedatsumon

About 200 m. past the Daemon Gate is the temple’s  famous, 21 m. (69 ft.) high, 17.6 m. deep and 28.7 m. wide, 2-storey Sangedatsumon (仏殿), which serves as the inner main gate.  San means “three,” gedatsu means moksha or liberation/freedom, and mon means “gate.” Dating from 1622, it is the temple’s only original structure to survive the Second World War and is, therefore, the oldest wooden building in Tokyo. It has been designated an Important Cultural Property.

Entering the temple via the Kuromon (Black Gate)

The majestic and magnificent, vermilion lacquered gate was designed in three sections to symbolize the three stages that one must pass through to achieve nirvana. If someone passes through the gate, he can free himself from the three passions of greed (貪 Ton), hatred (瞋 Shin) and foolishness (癡 Chi).

Bryan, Grace, Jandy, Kyle and Cheska at the Ji-unkaku Hall

On the upper floor of the gate are enshrined an image of Gautama Buddha (Shakyamuni), flanked by Samantabhadra and Manjusri (two attendant bodhisattvas), and statues of the Sixteen Arhats (disciples of the Buddha), all created by Buddhist image sculptors of Kyoto when Zojo-ji was built.

Image of Shoso Shonin

We entered the temple via the  Kuromon (Black Gate) which dates back to the mid to late 17th century. Immediately to the left is the Ji-unkaku Hall.  It has a multi-purpose hall on the ground floor.  A long flight of stairs brought us to the Kaisando on the second floor.  It enshrines an image of  Shoso Shonin, the founder of Zojo-ji.

Daiden (Main Hall)

The Daiden (Great Hall), rebuilt in 1974, is a blend of traditional Buddhist temple architecture and modern architecture. It enshrines the main image (honzon)  of the Amida Yosai Buddha which was made during the Muromachi Period (1336-1573).  To the right of the Amida Buddha is an image of Great Teacher Shandao, who perfected China’s Jodo (Pure Land) Buddhism), while at its left is an image of Honen Shonin (who founded Japan’s Jodo Shu).

The author beside the Shoro (Bell Tower)

Other structures within the grounds include the Ankokuden, the Kyozo (Sutra Repository), the Shoro (bell tower), Enko Daishi Hall and Koshoden. The Enko Daishi Hall enshrines Enko-daishi, another name of Honen, who is the sect founder of Jodo Buddhism.  The Dai-Nokotsudo (or Shariden), made with stone in 1933, is where the bones of the deceased are stored.

Bryan, Kyle and Cheska at the Dai-Nokotsudo (Shariden)

The Koshoden, a lecture hall and seminary for “cleansing soul and fostering the vigor to live,” has a coffered ceiling features pictures of flowering plants, donated by 120 pious Japanese artists and fitted into coffers.

Ankokuden Hall

The Ankokuden, located to the right of the Main Hall of  the temple, was built in 2010.  It enshrines the Black Image of Amida Buddha, a Buddhist image deeply worshiped by Tokugawa Ieyasu which brings victory and wards off evil.

Interior of Ankokuden Hall

The hall is also used as a prayer hall. The image is shown to the public 3 times a year (January 15, May 15 and September 15).

Black Image of Amida Buddha

The Kyozo, built in 1613 with financial aid from Tokugawa Ieyasu, serves as a storehouse where sutras (important cultural documents) are stored on red, octagonal-shaped revolving bookshelves at its center. It has a thick wall to resist fire and its door is usually closed. The Kyozo has also been designated as an Important Cultural Property by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

The Kyozo

The Shoro, just inside the grounds on the right after you enter the Sangedatsumon gate, houses the daibonsho, a huge 15-ton bell completed in 1673 (after repeating casting work as many as seven times).

Daibonsho

With a diameter of 1.76 m. and a height of 3.33 m., it chimes the hours and is tolled twice a day (six times each in the early morning and in the evening).  Renowned as one of the “Three Great Bells of the Edo Period,” it serves to purify the 180 earthly passions (bonno), which lead people astray, through an exhortation, repeated six times a day, to profound equanimity.

The Himalayan cedar tree planted by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant

A Himalayan cedar tree, between the Daibonsho bell and the Sangedatsumon gate, was planted by General Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States, when he visited the temple as a guest of the nation in 1879.

Sentai Kosodate Jizo (Unborn Children Garden)

The Sentai Kosodate Jizo (Unborn Children Garden), in one particular garden at the cemetery, has rows of 1,000 jizou stone statues of children representing unborn children (miscarried, aborted, or stillborn), lined up about 30 m. long and each wearing a red knitted hat and holding a small colorful windmill that spin around as the wind blows, creating a beautiful scenery.

Prayer Wall

Here, parents can choose a statue in the garden and decorate it with small clothing and toys. To ensure that they are brought to the afterlife, the statues are usually accompanied with a small gift for Jizō, the guardian of unborn children. Occasionally, stones, meant to ease the journey to the afterlife, are piled by the statue.

Incense Burner

Annual events held in the temple are Hatsumode (New Year’s visit) in January; Kurohonzon Prayer Ceremony on January 15; the Setsubun Tsuina-shiki/Nehan Ceremony (Nirvana Day) in February; the Spring Higan Ceremony in March; the Gyoki Ceremony/Buddha’s Birthday (Flower Festival) in April; the Kurohonzon Prayer Ceremony on May 15; the O-bon/Kaisan-ki/Bon Odori in July; the Peace Prayer Ceremony in August; the Autumn Higan Ceremony/Takigi Noh in September; the Kurohonzon Prayer Ceremony on September 15; the Juya Hoyo (Ten Nights of Prayer) in November; and the Jodo Ceremony (Bodhi Day)/Butsumyo Ceremony/Joya no Kane (New Year’s Eve Bell Ringing) in December. Monthly events include the Sutra copying, on the 14th (except July and August) of each month and the Betsuji Nembutsu on the 24th of each month.

Gate of the Tokugawa Mausoleum

In popular culture, the Zōjō-ji Temple was depicted multiple times, during the 1920s and 30s, in the art work of the Shin hanga artist Kawase Hasui.  It was also shown in several ukiyo-e prints by Hiroshige, in particular twice in his famous One Hundred Famous Views of Edo series from 1856–1858.

Zojo-ji Temple as seen in the movie Wolverine (photo: www.tokyofox.net)

Rila Fukushima (Yukio) and Hugh Jackman (Wolverine) – photo (www.tokyofox.net)

In the 2013 movie ‘‘The Wolverine,”  Zojo-ji Temple’s mail hall was used for Logan’s (Hugh Jackman) old friend Mr.Yashida ‘s (Hal Yamanouchi) funeral. Though badly damaged in World War II, Zojo-ji still retains the air of a major temple.

Cemetery at the back of the temple

Zōjō-ji Temple:  4 Chome-7-35 Shibakoen, Minato, Tokyo 105-0011, Japan.  Tel: (81)3-3432-1431. Website: www.zojoji.or.jp.  There is no admission fee for visitors to enter the temple complex. Treasure Gallery Museum Admission: JP¥700. Though the temple grounds are always open, the temple itself is only open from 6 AM to 5:30 PM. While not immediately obvious, the temple grounds are somewhat wheelchair accessible if entering from the side street instead of the main gate. The best time to visit the temple is late March or early April (for the beautiful cherry blossoms) or autumn (for the colorful leaves). In the evening, you can admire the temple with an illuminated Tokyo Tower in the background.

How to Get There: The entrance is at a 10-minute walk from Hamamatsucho Station on the JR Yamanote and Keihin-Tōhoku Lines, a 6-min. walk from Daimon Station on the Toei Asakusa and Toei Oedo Lines, a 3-min. walk from Onarimon and Shibakoen Stations on the Toei Mita Line, and about 500 m. from the Shibakoen exit of the Shuto Expressway. If you are getting there from Daimon Station, there is a big gate of the Zojo-ji Temple, located in front of the station, which will lead you straight to the front gate of the temple.

Return to Wawa Gorge (Rodriguez, Rizal)

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Wawa Gorge

The day after my grandson Kyle’s 6th birthday, I together with the rest of my family joined employees of E. Ganzon Inc. in distributing relief goods to residents of Sitio Wawa in Rodriguez (formerly Montalban, it was renamed after Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Sr., Montalban’s first mayor and Senate president, in 1982) in Rizal. Last August 11-13, the area was hit by flash flooding that also destroyed the bridge that connects Sitio Wawa with Sitio Sto. Niño.

Sitio Wawa

This wasn’t my first visit to this area.  The first time I was in Wawa was way back in 2004 when I was a guest in a demonstration tour, for teacher representatives from 9 different schools, hosted by Lakbay Kalikasan. At Wawa Gorge, we engaged in the adrenaline-pumping sport of rappelling at the gorge’s metal footbridge.

Check out “Rapelling at Wawa Gorge“

Sitio Wawa lies is in between the 426 m. high Mt. Pamitinan and 424 m. high Mt. Binacayan.  Its abandoned reservoir is visited mostly by hikers as the jump-off point for the trek to either beginner-friendly mountain, two of three mountains in the well-loved trilogy hike (the other is 517 m. high Mt. Hapunang Banoi). Guide fee is Php500 per group.

Mt. Pamitinan

The two mountains form a scenic view that appears like a portal to the sky, hence the name wawa, the Dumagat term for “entrance.” Sitio Wawa is a habitat of the Remontado Dumagat, mixed-blood offspring of lowlanders, who fled the Spanish colonizers, and of Negritos, the original setters in the area.

Mt. Binacayan

Legend has it that a giant of extraordinary strength named Bernardo Carpio (our version of Hercules or Atlas) who, in olden times, was trapped by an enkanto (enchanted creature) between Mt. Pamitinan and Mt. Binacayan. He caused earthquakes, landslides and flooding in nearby villages every time he struggles to free himself from his chains or keep the boulders from crushing him or from colliding.

Parking lot for visitors

José Rizal was said to have made a pilgrimage to Montalban to pay homage to Bernardo Carpio, a versatile symbol of freedom. In recent times, Lavrente “Lav” Diaz has used the legend as organic symbol in his 2016 historical fantasy dram film Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis (“A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery”). The riverbed is said to have a boulder with a hollow that forms what look like a gigantic footprint, attributed by locals to Bernardo Carpio.

The E. Ganzon, Inc. group. The author is at left

Historically, the site was used as a hide out by the revolutionary leader Andres Bonifacio who made one of Pamitinan’s caves as the Katipunan’s secret headquarters.  Here, Bonifacio and eight of his men entered the cave on Palm Sunday and came out on Good Friday. Here, they declared independence from Spain on April 12, 1895, over a year before the Revolution started.

The children of Sitio Wawa

Some 500 meters of narrow passage away from the mouth of Pamitinan Cave is the bulwagan (“hall”), a cavern over 50 ft. high and about 50 ft. in radius.  Inscribed on the cavern wall, in what looks like charcoal (possibly soot from a torch), are the words Viva la Independencia.  The Pamitinan pilgrimage is held here in April.

A currently closed hanging bridge

In 1943, the cave was turned into a Japanese armory. Mary Japanese died here from American fire. In 1977, a concrete marker commemorating them was fixed on the cliff wall over the cave’s mouth, above which is a metal plate, inscribed with Japanese characters with English translation, that reads: “Give them eternal rest, O Lord, and let them share Your glory.” In 1985, the cave was declared a National Geological Monument.

The narrow paved trail. along a ridge, leading to Wawa Dam

It is closed for rehabilitation until further notice.  In 1996, the area was declared a Protected Landscape managed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Tourism.

A waterfall emanating from a cave

After lunch at one of the area’s eateries, we decided to make the 500-m. trek, along a ridge, to Wawa Dam, the prominent landmark of Sitio Wawa. Along the narrow, paved trail are stores selling organic vegetables (eggplant, squash, gabi, takway, puso ng saging, pandan leaves, etc.), river shrimps, crabs, eels, carp, charcoal, assorted fruits (bananas, papaya,) etc., snacks and beverages to tourists.

The author at the steel footbridge near the dam

On Tuesdays and Fridays, foot traffic is heavy on the trail, with young men carrying sacks of fruits and vegetables.  After crossing a metal footbridge, we reached the slightly arched dam.  Coupled with the beautiful landscape of 80-160 feet high white rock walls, limestone crags and marble boulders, the dam was perfect for photography.

Wawa Dam

Wawa Dam, also known as Montalban Dam, is an 85 m. 9279 ft.) long  and 12 m. (40 ft.) high gravity dam constructed over the Marikina River. The slightly arched dam is situated in the 360-m. (1,180 ft.) high Montalban Gorge or Wawa Gorge, a water gap in the Sierra Madre Mountains, east of Manila.

Kyle, Grace and Jandy with the dam in the background

The waters of the Upper Marikina River basin, its headwater said to be in Quezon province, runs through the gorge and descends to the lowlands of the neighboring town of San Mateo and Marikina Valley. During summer, cottages are built at the foot of the dam but, as it was the rainy season, they remove the cottages because of the heavy impact of water.

The old, roofless American-era watchtower flanking the dam

The dam was built in 1904, during the American colonial era, started operating in 1909 to provide the water needs for Manila. It used to be the only source of water for the greater Manila area but it was closed in 1962 due to deterioration and lack of water supply and abandoned when it was replaced by the La Mesa-Ipo-Angat watershed system.

The sparsity of its water was most likely due to the logging and quarrying in the mountains. However, due to insufficiency of water supply for Metro Manila, there is now a strong clamor to reuse the dam. Wawa Dam is also pictured in their official seal of the local government of Rodriguez.

The reservoir behind the dam

For those who are not fans of mountain hiking, Wawa Dam’s has picnic spots. If you don’t want to bring your own food and beverages, sari-sari stores, food stalls and a wet market are available in the place. You can rent a bamboo cottage (Php150-500) and toilets are Php10 per use (bring your own toiletries or buy them at the sari-sari stores).

The roofless interior of the old watchtower

Wawa Dam: M. H. Del Pilar Street, Sitio Wawa, Brgy. San Rafael, Rodriguez, Rizal, Philippines.

How to Get There:

By Car: Despite the usual traffic, the fastest route to Wawa is via Commonwealth Ave., then take Payatas Road going to Rodriguez Highway until you reach M.H Del Pilar Street. Inside Wawa Village, there’s a parking space where the locals look after your car for any amount. Travel time is around 1.5 to 2hrs.

By Public Transportation: In front of Jollibee, Farmers, Cubao, Quezon City, there’s a UV Express Terminal where you can take the van going to Rodriguez (fare: Php50 per head).  Drop-off at Montalban Terminal.  Here, you can ride a tricycle going to Wawa Village (fare: Php20 per head). From  SM North/Trinoma, you can also ride a UV Express van (fare: Php50) going to Eastwood Montalban and drop off at Eastwood Ministop. Then, ride a jeep going to Wawa (fare: Php8). From the parking lot, you have to walk for 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, from Cubao/SM North/Trinoma, you can ride a bus or jeepney going to Litex and, from there, ride a jeepney going to Montalban Town Center and another jeepney to Wawa. This is much cheaper but a bit of a hassle.