SPANISH COLONIAL MILITARY

HOUSES
AND OTHER STRUCTURES

I.

BAHAY NA BATO
19TH CENTURY
VIGAN, ILOCOS SUR/ TAAL, BATANGAS
HOUSE OF STONE
TWO TYPES:
i. FLORAL STYLE MORE
AESTHETICALLY PLEASING; FLORAL
MOTIFS ALONG DCOR AND MOLDINGS
AMONG MANY OTHERS.
ii. GEOMETRICAL STYLE MORE
STRAIGHT-FORWARD IN TERMS OF
CHARACTER DESIGN.
HISTORY

19TH CENTURYIN THIS PERIOD,

EMERGED A FILIPINO STYLE, A
SYNTHESIS OF NATIVE AND WESTERN
FORMS.
IMPROVED VERSION OF THE BAHAY
KUBO IN TERMS OF MATERIALS AND SPACE
ALLOCATION.
PATTERNED AFTER THE NIPA HOUSE IN
PLAN BUT HIGHLY INFLUENCED WITH
SPANISH ART AND CULTURE.

ARCHL CHARACTER

PLAN
o THE BAHAY NA BATO IS A TWO-STOREY
HOUSE WITH THE UPPER FLOOR
OVERHANGING (VOLADA) THE
GROUND FLOOR.
o THE GROUND FLOOR CONTAINS THE
FOLLOWING AREAS:
o ZAGUAN STORAGE ROOM FOR
CARRIAGES AND SAINTS FLOATS
(ANDAS).
o CUADRA HORSE STABLE
o BODEGA STORAGE ROOM FOR
OLD FURNITURE / PALAY BINS.
o ENTRESUELO MEZZANINE
ELEVATED AT 1MTR ABOVE
GROUND.
o PATIO ENCLOSED COURTYARD
o THE SECOND FLOOR HAS THE
FOLLOWING AREAS:
o

CAIDA THE MOST IMMEDIATE

ROOM FROM THE STAIRS,

SALA; COCINA

COMEDOR DINING ROOM

DISPENSA FOOD STORAGE

ROOM;

COMUN OR LATRINA TOILET;

BAO OR PALIGUAN

AZOTEA A FLAT, OPEN

TERRACE

CUARTO, ALCOBA AND

DORMITORIO BEDROOM

BALCON OVERHANGING
BALCONY OVERLOOKING THE
STREET.

ALJIBE CISTERN USED FOR

o

STORAGE OF COLLECTED
RAINWATER.

STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
o

WOODEN POSTS OS MOLAVE AND

IPIL SUPPORTS FOR FLOORS,
BEAMS AND ROOF RAFTERS.
STONEWALLS

VOLCANIC TUFF

ADOBE STONES

MARBLE

GRANITE SLABS

CLAY BRICKS

WALL FINISHES

PLASTERED BRICK/ PLAIN

WHITE PLASTER

WOOD AT INTERIOR WALLS

YAKAL FLOOR JOISTS

NARRA FLOOR BOARDS

WOODEN SLATS AT KITCHEN

PROTECTIVE ELEMENTS
o

HIPPED ROOF (AT 30-60)

CEILING HEIGHT = 3-4.50 MTS

OVERHANGING EAVES AROUND

THE HOUSE

ROOF COVERING = CLAY TILE & NIPA

CIRCULATORY ELEMENTS
o

GRAND STAIRWAY

2.00 WIDE.

FIRST THREE STEPS MADE OF

MARBLE AND THE REST OF
WOOD

SMALLER WINDOWS
(VENTANILLAS)

PLACED BENEATH THE

LARGE WINDOWS SILL AND
ARE OFTEN WITH GRILLES.

FOR ADDITIONAL PROTECTION

AGAINST THE SUN, WINDOW
AWNINGS (TAPANCOS/
MEDIA AGUAS) WERE
PLACED OVER THE WINDOW
OPENINGS.

AT THE GROUND FLOOR

USUALLY CARVED AND

PROVIDES RELIEF TO THE THICK
MASONRY WALL.

CEILINGS USUALLY DECORATED

WITH PAINTINGS.

EUROPEAN INFLUENCED

II.

BIOMBOS (FREE-STANDING
PARTITIONS) WERE USED TO
SEPARATE DIFFERENT
FUNCTIONS.

VIGAN HOUSE

16-19TH CENTURY

VIGAN, ILOCOS SUR

HISTORY

TRACERY (CALADO)

AN ADDITIONAL MEANS FOR

ALLOWING CONTINUOUS AIR

DECORATIVE ELEMENTS

EITHER OF SLIDING PANELS

WITH CAPIZ SHELLS OR
WOODEN JALOUSIES
(PERSIANAS).

MAIN DOOR

HANDRAILS OF BEAUTIFULLY
CARVED WOODEN
BALUSTERS (BARANDILLAS).

WINDOWS

CIRCULATION IN THE
INTERIOR

OLDEST SURVIVING SPANISH COLONIAL

CITY IN THE PHILIPPINES.

BEST-PRESERVED EXAMPLE OF A
PLANNED SPANISH COLONIAL TOWN IN
ASIA.

ARCHL CHARACTER

WIDE WINDOWS

HIGH CEILINGS

TILE ROOFS

EAVES AND OVERHANGS

POLISHED WOODEN FLOORS

(WOODEN) JALOUSIES / SLIDING LOWED

WINDOWS

MOTHER OF PEARL PANES AND PANELS

CERAMIC BALUSTRADES

III.

INTRAMUROS

WITHIN THE WALLS

1571/0612 MIGUEL LOPEZ DE LEGAZPI

VOLCANIC TUFA & EARTH-FILLED BRICK

HISTORY

1564 MIGUEL LOPEZ DE LEGAZPI

ARRIVED IN CEBU AND ESTABLISHED FIRST
SPANISH COLONY IN THE PH.
THE CITY WAS IN CONSTANT DANGER OF
NATURAL AND MAN-MADE DISASTERS; ALSO
ATTACKS FROM FOREIGN INVADERS THUS
THEY BUILT WALLS.

CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS BEGAN IN

1590-1872; IT TOOK 300 YEARS TO BUILD.

PACIFIC WAR OF 1945 LONE SURVIVOR

WAS SAN AGUSTIN CHURCH.

CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (IN

PHILIPPINES)

DOMINICANS
o

UNIVERSIDAD DE SANTO TOMAS 1611

COLEGIO DE SAN JUAN DE LETRAN 1620

JESUITS
o

UNIVERSIDAD DE SAN IGNACIO 1590

ATENEO MUNICIPAL DE MANILA 1859

OUTER MOAT (CONTRAFOSO)

SURROUNDS WALLS THAT FACE THE CITY

FEATURES OF THE WALL

PLAN; IRREGULAR IN SAPE. FOLLOWING

CONTOURS OF MANILA BAY AND CURVATURE OF
PASIG RIVER.

WALLS; COVER AN AREA OF 64HECTARES OF

LAND.

2.4MTR THICK STONES

6.7MTR HIGH WALLS

TWO MOATS
o

INNER MOAT (FOSO) SURROUNDS

PERIMETER OF THE WALL.

IV.

FORT SANTIAGO

BUILT BY ANTONIO SEDENO

o

DESIGNATED AS THE SHRINE OF FREEDOM

BASTITIONED FORT

ITALIAN-SPANISH SCHOOL OF FORTIFICATION

IT IS LOCATED AT THE MOUTH OF THE PASIG

RIVER AND SERVED AS THE PREMIER DEFENSE
FORTRESS OF THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT
DURING THEIR RULE OF THE COUNTRY.

IT BECAME A MAIN FORT FOR THE SPICE

TRADE TO THE AMERICAS AND EUROPE FOR
333 YEARS.

INSIDE THE FORT WERE GUARD STATIONS,

STOREHOUSES, A CHAPEL, THE POWDER
MAGAZINE, THE SENTRY TOWERS, THE
CISTERNS, ETC.