history: architectural character of the spanish period

Architectural Characterof the Spanish Period

Transcripts from Arch. Norma I. Alarcon’s seminal book, Philippine Architecture During The Pre-Spanish And Spanish Periods

Histarc 4 1st Term S.Y. 2016-17

Why Spain kept the Philippines in the first place?

Source: http://web.stanford.edu/group/journal/cgi-bin/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Merchant_SocSci_2009.pdf

First, it reveals that when examining the mercantile empires, non-economic factors need to be given equal consideration relative to economic factors.

The case of the Spanish Philippines is such that economics may not have been the main reason for keeping the colony.


SPANISH EMPIRE IN THE 17TH CENTURY

Why Spain kept the Philippines in the first place?As some historians have suggested, religious or strategic reasons may have been more important.

Some assert that Spain kept the Philippines with the hope of spreading Christianity into China…


Why Spain kept the Philippines in the first place?…while others argue that the Philippines’ central location in the Pacific, near the colonies of other European powers, gave Spain a naval advantage.


Architecture in the Philippines is the result of natural development enriched with the absorption of varied social, cultural and religious influences.

From the Spanish period to the contemporary times, its development has been interwoven with foreign features.

As a result, Philippine architecture has acquired various definition as follows;1. A conglomeration of various architectures as a result of the

country’s cultural relationship with her neighbors and various colonizers from the West;

2. Regionalized, due to its geographical condition and location;

A House at VIGAN HERITAGE VILLAGE“Ilocano Architecture” Lopez Mansion

“Visayan Architecture”

3. Ethnic, due to the affinity it has with the Asian type of culture;

Moro House“Mindanao-Moro Architecture”

Badjao “village”Traces of the

“Thallasocratic” society

4. Folk, because of the mixture of pre-Western culture and Western culture brought from Spain and America. (---Nothing Follows---)

JUST THINK ABOUT YOUR HOUSE.

Folk architecture is the living environment people have created

for themselves

Before we go to Spanish Colonial AR in the Philippines

What is Spanish Architecture (in Europe)?

Plaza de España, Seville

Maqsura of the Great Mosque of Córdoba

The Caliphate of Córdoba

Alacrán, scorpion

From Classical Arabic aqrab (عقرب) of same meaning.

Alacrán, scorpion

From Classical Arabic aqrab (عقرب) of same meaning.

Filipino: Alakdan

Spanish: AsesinoEnglish: AssassinArabic: hashasheen (“smokers of hash”)

Spanish: AsesinoEnglish: AssassinArabic: hashasheen (“smokers of hash”)

Filipino: manglilingo

What were the period styles dominant in Spain from 1521-1899?• Spanish Renaissance architecture• Spanish Baroque architecture• Spanish Colonial architecture• Neoclassical Style

Basic characteristic of “Early Renaissance” architecture• Use of “human scale”(part of humanism)

San Agustin Church, IntramurosHigh Renaissance Architecture

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in SpainChurrigueresque Obradoiro façade

Churrigueresquerefers to a Spanish Baroque style of elaborate sculptural architectural ornament which emerged as a manner of stucco decoration in Spain in the late 17th century and was used up to about 1750, marked by extreme, expressive and florid decorative detailing, normally found above the entrance on the main facade of a building.

Named after the architect and sculptor, José Benito de Churriguera (1665–1725)

“Dahil ‘daw sa dugong LATIN na Nananalaytay sa ating mga ugatMukang natural na expresiyon na Siya ng ating pagkatao.”

- Lourd de Veyra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cezbq_2mQg

Horror vacui

Horror vacuiFear of blank spaces.

Our Lady of the Gate Parish ChurchDaraga, Albay

Church of Santo Tomas de VillanuevaMiag-ao, Iloilo City

Spanish Colonial ArchitectureThe combination of the Native American and Moorish decorative influences with an extremely expressive interpretation of the Churrigueresque idiom may account for the full-bodied and varied character of the Baroque in the American colonies of Spain.

Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade

The Manila-Acapulco Galleon Memorial at Plaza Mexico in Intramuros, Manila.

We’re more “Mexicans” rather than “Spanish”Ang impluwensiya sa ating kultura ay hindi Kastila kundi Mexicano.

- Lourd de Veyra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyP2Fsm8MxI

“Spanish Mission Architecture”

“Spanish Roof Tile”

Adobe (rammed-earth const’n.)

Danao City Church, Cebu.The structure is made from coral stones.

DETAIL OF EXPOSED CORAL WALL

Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours, a.k.a. “Taal Basilica”

“maestro de obras”

Who designed/ planned/ construct churches before “maestro de obras” or “architects” became the norm in the Philippines?

Who designed/ planned/ construct churches before “maestro de obras” or “architects” became the norm in the Philippines?

SPANISH FRIARS

“prayle”

Generally, planning and construction of churches in the Philipines were undertaken by the Spanish friars.

In the book, THE FILIPINO HERITAGE, Fr. Pedro G. Galende, OSA wrote in his article “Angelus in Stone” that the reason for professional architects in assisting the friars is explained by the following:

1. Distance of the Philippines from their country;2. Uncertainty of the job;3. Legends and stories about the Philippines;4. Low salary

With the provisions set forth by the Laws of the Indies clearly stated and with experiences learned from their previous undertakings, the friars, armed with the desire to convert the Filipinos to Christianity took the task of building the imprints of the Catholic religion.

According to Fr. Pablo Fernandez, O.P. in his book, “History of the Church in the Philippines”, funding for the construction of the churches came from the following sources:

1. occasional funds from the government;2. encomenderos who are residents of the area;3. priest’s savings; and,4. monetary tribute or contribution and manual labor of the town people

The encomienda was a labor system, rewarding conquerors with the labor of particular groups of people.

Furthermore, according to Fr. Fernandez, the king of Spain, on his part, provided a new church with;

- sacred furnishings;- a chalice with its paten;- a bell- mass wine- aciete (oil) for the sanctuary

- support services (repair of the churches, conventos, and cemeteries)

Taxation:

Native [Filipinos] – half real per person

Chinese-Filipino mestizo – two reales

To be continued…Next week we’ll discuss:

- Components of Bahay na Bato- Typical components of Spanish Colonial churches in the PH- Spanish Law of the Indies- A bit more of vernacular terms (ulit)

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history: architectural character of the spanish period

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