Spanish_Colonial_Fortifications_of_the_Philippines

Spanish colonial fortifications in the Philippines

Spanish colonial fortifications in the Philippines

Add article description

The Spanish fortifications of the Philippines, or fuerzas, are strongholds constructed by Filipinos and Spaniards primarily for protection against local and foreign aggressors during the Spanish colonial period, and during the subsequent American and Japanese occupations. Structures built included fortresses, watchtowers, and bastions. Many are badly damaged, either due to old age or past conflicts. Currently, there are initiatives for restorations of all forts, beginning when the Baluarte Luna of La Union and the Intramuros of Manila were restored in the 2010s. In 2013, a typhoon and earthquake hit Central Visayas and damaged numerous Spanish fortifications, leading to the largest restoration activity for fortifications in Philippine history.

Map of the Presidios built in the Philippines during the 1600s, in Fortress of Empire by Rene Javellana, S. J. (1997)

List of forts

More information Image, Name ...

UNESCO World Heritage status

Tentative list

On May 16, 2006, a collection of five well-preserved examples of Spanish Colonial architecture was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in the Cultural category.[1]

The collection titled "Spanish Colonial Fortifications of the Philippines" include the following buildings located throughout the country:

  1. Fuerza de Capul, Northern Samar
  2. Dauis Watchtower, Dauis, Bohol
  3. Punta Cruz Watchtower, Maribojoc, Bohol
  4. Fuerza de San Andres, Romblon, Romblon
  5. Fuerza de Sta. Isabel, Taytay, Palawan

In 2015, by recommendation of UNESCO, the fortifications were removed from the tentative list of the Philippines as they 'will have a hard time meeting the standards of the organization'. The old town of Capul (Northern Samar), old town of Romblon (Romblon province), and old town of Taytay (Palawan) were recommended as possible heritage sites in the future once the Philippines submits them in the tentative list, along with a complete dossier.

Future re-inclusion list

Heritage groups have been advocating for the return of the fortifications in the tentative list, but with the inclusion of at least twenty-one more Spanish colonial fortifications throughout the country to maximize its potential to be included in the World Heritage List. Restoration activities on numerous fortifications throughout the country are currently ongoing in a bid to support the future nomination of the fortifications to UNESCO. However, some fortifications are within private lands, hindering cultural agencies of government from restoring those forts. The possible return of the fortifications in the tentative list is supported by both governments of the Philippines and Spain. Other properties being proposed to be included for the re-nomination are:

  1. Intramuros, Manila
  2. Cuartel de Santo Domingo, Santa Rosa, Laguna
  3. Fuerza de Cuyo, Cuyo, Palawan
  4. Fuerza de Cagayancillo, Cagayancillo, Palawan
  5. Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza, Zamboanga City
  6. Fuerza de San Felipe, Cavite City
  7. Fuerza de San Pedro, Cebu
  8. Fuerte de la Concepcion y del Triunfo, Ozamiz, Misamis Occidental
  9. Fuerza de San Antonio Abad, Manila
  10. Fuerza de Pikit, Malidegao, Cotabato
  11. Fuerza de Santiago, Romblon, Romblon
  12. Fuerza de Jolo, Jolo, Sulu
  13. Fuerza de Masbate, Masbate
  14. Fuerza de Bongabong, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro
  15. Cotta de Dapitan, Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte
  16. Fuerte de Alfonso XII, Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur
  17. Fuerza de Bacolod, Bacolod, Lanao del Norte
  18. Guinsiliban Watchtower, Guinsiliban, Camiguin
  19. Laguindingan Watchtower, Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental
  20. Kutang San Diego, Gumaca, Quezon
  21. Baluarte Luna, Luna, La Union

See also

Architecture of the Philippines

History of the Philippines (1565–1898)

Fortification

References

  1. [1]
    "Spanish Colonial Fortifications of the Philippines". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2022-01-20.

Further reading
Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Spanish_Colonial_Fortifications_of_the_Philippines, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.