San Agustin Convent Museum — Local services in Manila

In the capital city of Manila, there is Intramuros, a walled city where Spanish colonists lived. Even now, you can see traces of the old walls surrounding the city. The San Agustin Church inside the city is the first Baroque church built by the Spanish in the late 16th century. It is the oldest stone cathedral in the Philippines, and its construction began in 1571. It is a representative Baroque style building. The cathedral is made up of two parts: the chapel and the monastery. The cathedral is free to enter, while the monastery requires a ticket of 200 pesos for adults and 160 pesos for children. The monastery has been converted into a museum that collects valuable items such as a golden chalice, old furniture, hymns written long ago, a silver cross, an ivory statue, an oil painting depicting the story of Jesus being captured, ascending to Golgotha, dying on the cross, and being resurrected after three days, and many religious artifacts. It is very large and consists of about 20 large and small rooms. Each room has different relics stored in it, and the interior is relatively cool. The monastery is surrounded by a square shape, and the interior is beautifully harmonized with a garden and fountain. The garden seen from the second floor of the monastery is very quiet and beautiful. It was initially built with bamboo, palm leaves, coconuts, and mud, but after being destroyed by a fire, it was rebuilt with stone in 1599. The reliefs inside the cathedral are detailed, and there are many old religious paintings. The stained glass reflects sunlight, creating a sense of peace and elegance inside. From the choir attic at the top of the cathedral, you can look down on the entire cathedral. When you enter the chapel and look up at the ceiling, you can see biblical figures meticulously painted by the artist, very vivid and three-dimensional. The pillars are carved with rose-shaped ornaments, and a large chandelier hangs from the dome, adding to its beauty. The cathedral has survived numerous earthquakes and typhoons since 1645, and survived the British invasion in 1762. It was fortunately spared from damage during the Spanish-American War and the Japanese invasion of China in 1898. It is especially significant because it was preserved intact despite the destruction of much of the walled city of Intramuros by bombing during World War II in 1945. Many Catholic cathedrals, known as the "Vatican of the East," were built throughout the Philippines. In 1965, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the introduction of Catholicism to the Philippines, the Church of St. Augustine set out to create a museum by displaying photographs of 100 churches built throughout the Philippines between the 16th and 19th centuries. Since then, it has continued to collect all kinds of precious cultural artifacts lost in past wars and exhibit them in the monastery for the public to see. The monastery museum, built next to the Church of St. Augustine, is also a museum with a large collection of Filipino and Spanish art, and is an important venue for exhibiting Philippine history and culture. It also has a history of over 400 years and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. There are three other churches in the Philippines that have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The St. Augustine Church in Paoay, Santa Maria, and Miag-ao were each built under the leadership of Spanish and Mexican missionaries, and the addition of Philippine traditions creates a unique atmosphere. The church has Spanish-style elegance in both its exterior and interior decorations. The church is characterized by detailed and realistic reliefs on the stones, paintings on the ceiling and walls inside the church, and statues of St. Augustine and Jesus in the center. Inside the church, the remains of former high-ranking Filipino officials are buried, and their dates of birth are written...

I enjoyed my 4-hour long visit in this renowned world heritage site very much! Entrance fee is only 200 pesos. I was so lucky that a local guide was leading a foreign visiting tour so I had a chance to listen to her historical explanation to exhibits without paying extra fee, lol. I even found a secret entrance from the right side of the church for you so you can sneak in without even paying the entrance fee... oh, what I'm talking about? Just kidding!

The exhibits are shown in a very well-organized way, and even if you don't know much about history, you would get a clear idea of the life and expeditions of the religious Spanish people in the Philippines. The stories about them are interesting. The exhibitions have a huge volume. There are so many things to see and everything includes a brief and concise descriptions. Slow down your pace and you can really spend a whole day here!

I should have regretted in case I miss this when visiting Manila! I'm so glad I chose here to visit in my last whole...

The price is 200 pesos for a regular fee and it is open daily 8 -12pm and 1- 5pm. It is advised to wear decent clothes as it is also a Catholic Church. I’ve been here before when I was in HS and I must say it has improved drastically. If you are into history or how it came to the Ph Catholicism particularly the Agustian order, this is a must see. The place is very vast with 2 floors including entry to the church itself which is only for the museum guest and entry to the original spot for the choir with the original metal organ. Included in the museum are antique images, garments l, artworks and all sorts of relic from the past. One cannot help but marvel the architecture involved during the Spanish era as the building itself is a testament to that. 2 hours is sufficient enough to cover the whole place. After which, you can unwind with the nearby cafes that are also synced with the same theme with that...