AR 2344

PHILIPPINE ARCHITECTURE
(SPANISH ERA ARCHITECTURE)

Submitted by:
CLIFF JASON M. GULMATICO
Architecture 3-B

Submitted to:
MA. THERESA M. AUSTRIA
HISTORY 4
(January 1, 2014)

II. Introduction
This research would primarily take up the topic given to us the Spanish Architecture.Henceforth I
would introduce the topic that would be taken up here in my research, these topics would mainly focus on
the types of Spanish Architecture such us:
-Bahay na bato -types and details
-military buildings
-school buildings
-churches

In this research about the Spanish Architecture we would eventually take up the history of Spanish
Architecture on how and where did it start/emerged from and how did it evolved through passing of time,
also how did it helped us Filipino in our Architectural styles or Architectural designs or if it really helped
us improve our Architectural designs for the better. Also in this research I would like to share the
objective of my study not only for the sake of doing my research but also for the sake of self learning and
sharing my thoughts and comments about the Spanish Architecture.

Objectives:
-to learn more about Spanish Architecture
-to use Spanish designs as reference in future projects (possibly)
-to understand more about the history of Spanish Architecture
-to know what Spaniards contributed in the Philippine Architecture
-to improve my research skills

II. Content
Spanish Architecture Overview: Spain is renowned for both its architecture and architects. Spain is the
country with the 2nd highest amount of buildings on the list.
Periods of Spanish Architecture:
Prehistoric Spanish Architecture- Some of the first people to settle on the land where Spain stands
today, back in 4000BC, built burial chambers out of stone. The largest of these can be found near to the
city of Antequerra, near Mlaga in Spain. The 'Cueva de Menga' is 25 meters deep, 5 meters wide and 4
meters high, and dates back to around 3000BC. Celts began to build walled villages, called Castros, on
mountains in the region of Galicia. Galicia is where you can find many examples of these Celtic
settlements, including Las Cogotas, in vila and the Castro of Santa Tecla, in Pontevedra.
Roman Spanish Architecture- the Romans conquered the Spanish peninsular and with them they
brought their fantastic expertise in civil engineering. The Romans built a network of roads that linked
many of the major Spanish cities, such as Crdoba and Tarragona (or Taraco as it was called in Roman
times). Many bridges and aqueducts were built in Spain, along with some other useful buildings, such as
the lighthouse at La Corua, which is still in use today.
Pre-Romanesque Architecture- The Pre-Romanesque period of Spanish architecture refers to the
Christian art produced after the Classical Age, yet before the Romanesque art period. The most well
known of which in Spain is Asturian art. This period was a time of innovation in structural and design
elements. Arches and lattices became much more common in buildings in Spain. Later, there was a heavy
Mozarabic influence inarchitecture in Asturias, in which the horseshoe shaped arch increased in usage.
Mudejar Style- Mudejar architecture is a style of architecture developed by the Moors left in Christian
Spain, yet who did not convert to the Christian religion. This style developed from the 12th Century, right
up until the 16th Century, and even experienced a revival in the 20th Century by Spanish architect, Llus
Domnech i Montaner. Mudejar is best known for its extensive use of brick as the principal building
material. Good examples of Mudejar architecture are the synagogues of Santa Mara la Blanca and El
Trnsito in Toledo, Spain.

Romanesque Spanish Architecture- The 10th and 11th Centuries were the time when
Romanesque Spanish architecture began to develop in Spain. However at this time, the architecture was
quite basic; the walls were thick and the use of sculptures was limited. This period is therefore named the
'First Romanesque' period. The iconic building of Spanish Romanesque architecture is the Cathedral of
Jaca in Aragon, which contains the typical chessboard style decoration called 'taqueado jaqus'.
Gothic Spanish Architecture- The 12th Century saw the arrival of Gothic architecture from Europe in
the Spanish peninsular, yet it was still alternating with the earlier Romanesque period. The true, High
Gothic style came in the 13th Century. The Cathedrals of Burgos, Toledo and Leon were all built in the
Gothic style, with heavy influence from Germany and Italy.
Renaissance Spanish Architecture- In Spain, at the beginnings of the Renaissance architecture period
(the end of the 15th Century), many former Gothic buildings were adapted to meet the new Renaissance
style. The Palace of Charles V, in Granada, was designed by Pedro Machuca and was very innovative for
the time. It incorporated many elements of Mannerism before the movement had developed properly, and
was completed way before the likes of the Italian painter Michelangelo. However it was later on during
this era, when the Gothic influences were finally dropped, that Spain's true Renaissance works began to
emerge. El Escorial, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, is the finest example of Renaissance
Spanish architecture.
Baroque Spanish Architecture- Baroque is a style of architecture that came to Spain from nearby Italy
in the 16th Century. A vernacular form of the style was then developed and is the style of architecture that
one can see at the Plaza Mayor in Madrid. Some of the best examples of Baroque architecture in Spain
include the Western Facade of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the facades of the University of
Valladolid, and the Hospicio de San Fernando in Madrid.
Colonial Spanish Architecture- The former Spanish colonies in the Americas contain some of the finest
examples of Hispanic architecture. The mix of Moorish, Native American and Spanish elements meant
buildings were fantastically blended together. The Americas also developed their own Baroque style,
which came into its own in 1664. Peru exhibited the most extravagant of the American Baroque styles.
The monastery of San Francisco in the capital of Peru, Lima, is particularly eccentric with two yellow
stone towers with a dark, detailed facade in the middle.

Neoclassical Spanish Architecture- The former Spanish colonies in the Americas contain some of the
finest examples of Hispanic architecture. The mix of Moorish, Native American and Spanish elements
meant buildings were fantastically blended together. The Americas also developed their own Baroque
style, which came into its own in 1664. Peru exhibited the most extravagant of the American Baroque
styles. The monastery of San Francisco in the capital of Peru, Lima, is particularly eccentric with two
yellow stone towers with a dark, detailed facade in the middle.
19th Century Spanish Architecture- The 19th Century was a period for revival of old architectural
styles. Hence, there were examples of Neo-Gothic architecture, Neo-Egyptian architecture and NeoRomanesque, among others. Spanish architects would pick and choose their style depending on its
purpose. This led to a new movement called Eclecticism. Antonio Palacios is an example of this
Eclecticism style, with the Communications Palace of Madrid (Palacio de Comunicaciones de Madrid).
The 19th Century was also the period of the Industrial Revolution. Buildings began to incorporate some
of the new materials that this Revolution brought, including glass and ironwork.
20th and 21st Century Spanish Architecture- The 20th Century saw the rise of Catalan Modernism, a
style that incorporated more natural and organic elements. Gaudi was the leading Spanish architect of this
style. He adorned the city of Barcelona with many fantastic buildings, including his most famous work,
La Sagrada Familia. Llus Domnech i Montaner is also another Spanish architect who developed the
Catalan Modernism movement. Today, there are many budding Spanish architects who have passed more
into the realms of Modern architecture. Both Santiago Calatrava and Rafael Moneo have pushed the
boundaries of Spanish architecture both in Spain and abroad.

Spanish Period Types of Architecture:

Bahay na bato- The 19th century townhouse, called bahay na bato, was a product of economic and social
developments, as well as architectural evolution. The elite or principalia included landowners and traders,
as well as professionalsphysicians and accountantsand the highly educated,
cosmopolitan illustrado (literally, enlightened). The lifestyle and aspirations, and even pretensions of the
upper class demanded a new type of dwellingspacious, durable, comfortable, impressive, noble, and
elegantthe bahay na bato. Several house forms contributed to the emergence of the bahay na bato. One
of its ancestors is the nipa hut or bahay kubo, which in itself might not have been a worthy dwelling for
the illustrado, but whose principles of design were too practical to be ignored. The steep hip roof, elevated
quarters, post-and-lintel construction, and maximized ventilation are features of the bahay kubo that
appear in grand style in the bahay na bato. A second ancestor may have been the native chieftains house
described by Antonio Morga in the 17th century, which was elevated, sturdily built of timber, wellfurnished, and spacious, having many rooms. A third influence may have also been the houses of the
Spanish residents of Intramuros, which combined native and the foreign styles of building in their twostorey houses with wooden posts and beams, stone walls around the ground floor, and timber construction
above. Finally, another model for the bahay na bato may have been theconvento, rectory or monastery,
built adjacent to the mission church, an authoritative presence in the center of the town which must have
antedated the bahay na bato. Extravagantly spacious and solidly built, it could have become the local
standard for grandeur. In general, the bahay na bato may be described as a house with wooden legs and a
stone skirt, a style of construction which makes the house a sure survivor of earthquakes. The wooden
frame gives it both flexibility and stability, while the one-storey high stone wall is less likely to collapse.
Large wooden posts are sunk into the ground but stand high enough to carry the roof. The posts are
independent of both stone wall below and wooden walls above. Because they are of exceptionally
precious hardwood, they are worth displaying. The living quarters are elevated and are reached through
an interior stairway located in the zaguan on the ground floor. The zaguan with its naked stonework is a
grim entrance hall but with its abundant space is the perfect storeroom for just about everything. The
stairs, are not only a means of access but also the setting for a stately arrival. A surrounding balustrade
detached from the wall provides room all around for welcoming committee and prolonged farewells.

Geometric
Style-Bahay
na Bato

Floral StyleBahay na Bato

Bahay na Bato
Floor Plan

List: Parts of Bahay na Bato

The turn of the century bahay na bato or "stone house" -- the Old Manila Nostalgia blog correctly
renames it the bahay na bato at kahoy -- is practically extinct. Except for Las Casas de Acuzar, which
dismantles bahay na bato from their original context and reconstructs them in a resort near the shore of
Bagac, Bataan, no one builds them anymore.
Although non-indigenous, the bahay na bato (at kahoy) has become "authentic Filipino," to go by
Fernando Nakpil-Zialcita's argument, because the original Spanish architectural design has been
repurposed to suit the native climate using the native architectural idiom, in particular construction ideas
from the bahay kubo. The Old Manila Nostalgia blogger observantly notes these ingenious adjustments:
- making the structure more earthquake-proof
- allowing more light into the house
- allowing more air
- shielding the house from the rain and heat of the sun
- raising the floor as a precaution against flood
Bahay na Bato at Kahoy Architectural and Home Furnishing Terms
Accessoria - "apartment-type dwelling characterized by common party walls shared by adjoining units
with separate door each in front"
Aljibe - cistern
Antesala - see Caida
Aparador de tres lunas - "armoire with three sections"
Arko - arch
Azotea - "open-air balcony beside the kitchen that housed a cistern (aljibe) and the bathroom and was
usually a work area" (Bambi Harper)
Atlas, Atlantes - "a column in the shape of a man"
Balconaje - balcony
Banggera - " a wooden dish rack that extends outside the kitchen window. After the dishes are washed,
they are placed here to be air-dried. The inverted cups are placed on the ends of the wooden sticks and the
plates are placed in between or above the slats. On the far left is a tapayan/banga, an earthenware jar that
keeps water cool." (Old Manila Nostalgia blog)
Baera - bathtub
Bao - bathroom
Barandillas - (usually wooden) railing or balustrade
Barrigones - "buntis" (pregnant) grillworks to accommodate planters
Butaka - "a version of silla perezosa with no leg rests"
Caida - landing on the upper entrance hall; "foyer of the second floor"; also called Antesala
Calado - lace-style fretwork or latticework used to adorn room dividers and to allow air to circulate
Capilla - "long bench, a staple item in the caida"
Capital - "topmost member of a column (or pilaster) mediating between the column and the load"
Capiz window - (often) sliding window made of capiz shells cut into squares
Caryatid - "a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a
pillar supporting an entablature on her head"
Clerestory - "any high windows above eye level for the purpose of bringing outside light, fresh air, or
both into the inner space"
Cocina - kitchen built separately from the house

Colonette - "a small, thin decorative column supporting a beam (horizontal timber) or lintel (beam
spanning a door or window)"
Comedor - dining room
Comun - toilet; also called Latrina
Cornice - a ledge or "generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns a building or furniture
element"
Court, Courtyard - "a space enclosed by walls and is open to the sky; has azotea or balconaje"
Cuartos - rooms
Cuatro aguas - "hip roof, which has more corners and angles, making it stronger than the dos aguas
(gable) or high-pitched roof due to stronger aerodynamics (i.e., more wind resistance); also has the
advantage of providing an overhang, which is effective for protecting the house from rainwater and from
direct sunlight"
Dapugan - "a platform in the kitchen where the 'kalan' or clay stove is placed"
Despacho - office; also Oficina
Dispensa - pantry
Dos aguas - "gable or high-pitched roof"
Eave - "bottom edge of a roof"
Engaged column - column in support of the roof above
Entresuelo - mezzanine; "literally meaning 'between floors, this is the area where clients, tenants or
estate managers (if the owner was a rich landowner) wait before being admitted to the oficina (office)"
Escalera - stairway
Escritorio - "a large chest of drawers, commonly adorned with inlay work"
Faade - front
Finial - "a usually foliated ornament forming an upper extremity"
Gable - "the part of a wall that encloses the end of a pitched roof"
Gallinera - literally, "chicken seat"; "usually found outside the oficina of a landowner; coming from the
Spanish word 'gallo' (chicken), this church bench-inspired settee is used for farmers to place chickens on
the cage underneath in exchange for paying cash" (Old Manila Nostalgia blog)
Gargoyle - "a carved stone grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from
the side of a building, thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the
mortar between"
Gingerbread trim, Running trim - "a fancifully cut and pierced frieze metal sheet attached to the eaves,
a trimming that instantly transforms simple windows into a piece of art"; "usually attached to the eaves to
make it more decorative and to curving iron rods that help support the media agua"
Kama - typically meaning four-poster bed
Kama ni Ah-tay - "a once popular signature four poster bed design that was carved by a famous Chinese
furniture maker named Eduardo Ah Tay. To have this bed was considered a symbol of status during the
Spanish era." (Old Manila Nostalgia blog)
Kantoneras (Brackets) - "either plain calado cut-outs or fully carved embellishments usually placed
where beams and columns intersect especially under the "soffit" or overhanging ceiling outside house;
also seen to decorate door or window openings, hallways or simply dividing spaces"
Lansenas - kitchen sideboards
Latrina - see Comun
Load-bearing wall - wall used in place of posts to bear weight
Machuca tiles (formerly known as baldozas mosaicas) - colorful Mediterranean-style cement tiles used
for the zaguan flooring; manufactured by the Machuca company; another brand is Majolica

Media aguas - canopy or roof shed, consisting of "a piece of metal roof that protects the window from
rain or heat"; not to be confused with awning
Mirador - lighthouse
Moulding, molding - "a strip of material (such as wood or metal) with some design or pattern that is used
as a decoration on a wall, on the edge of a table, etc."
Oratorio - prayer room with an altar of santos
Painted metal sheet ceiling - "tin or copper ceiling from maybe late Victorian to early American colonial
period, to prevent decay by moisture or worms (or even mouse)"
Paminggalan - "a cabinet where leftover food and preserves are stored. The doors of the cabinet have
slats so that it can absorb air and room temperature inside. To avoid ants from coming up and getting to
the food, the legs of the cabinet are placed on containers filled with kerosene or any liquid." (Old Manila
Nostalgia blog)
Piedra china - Chinese stone used to pave the floor of the zaguan
Pilaster - false pillar "used to give the appearance of a supporting column and to articulate an extent of
wall, with only an ornamental function"
Platera - aparador or cabinet for kitchenware (chiefly china)
Porte cochere - horse carriage porch or portico at the main entrance
Portico - "(from Italian) a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a
roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls"
Puerta - "door of the entrada principal (main entrance)"
Puertita - "small cut door that is part of the puerta"
Pugon - clay oven
Sala mayor - main living room, place for late-afternoon parties called tertulias and dances called bailes
Sala menor - secondary living room
Sillas Americanas - "American chairs, considered the Monobloc chairs of their time (due to ubiquity)"
Silla perezosa - lazy chair
Solihiya - typical weave pattern in furniture
Stained glass - "glass colored or stained (as by fusing metallic oxides into it) for decorative applications
(as in windows)"
Transom - "transverse horizontal structural beam or bar"
Trompe l'oeil - "a style of painting in which things are painted in a way that makes them look like real
objects"
Tumba-tumba - Philippine rocking chair
Ventana - "wooden window panel that uses a grid pattern with flattened capiz shell panes"; often in
sliding style, as opposed to flinging out
Ventanilla - literally 'small window'; "sliding panels between the floor and windows" to allow more air
and light; "usually protected by balustrades which can either be wooden or wrought iron grills"
Volada - "an enclosed overhanging balcony"; "a gallery (along the elaborate system of windows) which
protects the rooms from the heat of the sun"
Zaguan - ground floor (literally "passageway" in Arabic) to accommodate horse carriages and carrozas
(processional carriages)

Military Buildings- The early friars proved that they were practical architects and engineers. As a
defense against Moro pirates they constructed forts and fortresses. The first fort was constructed by Fr,
Antonio Sedeno who arrived in Manila in 1581. He began and planned the construction of the "Real
Fuerza de Santiago (Fort Santiago) at the mouth of Pasig River as it was conceived by Legaspi. With the
walls of Intramuros, this was completed in 1872. Fort Pilar in Zamboanga was constructed by Fr. Melchor
de Veyra. Fr. Francisco Duco built fortresses at Iligan and Misamis. The first stone pier was built in
Guiuan, Samar, by Fr. Pedro Monasterio. Early stone bridges were built in Bulacan by Fr. Ignacio
Manzanarez in Catarman, Cebu; a sea-wall was built by Fr. Antonio Fuertes.

Fort Santiago

Fort Pilar

School Buildings- Education in the Philippines has undergone several stages of development from the
pre-Spanish times to the present. In meeting the needs of the society, education serves as focus of
emphases/priorities of the leadership at certain periods/epochs in our national struggle as a race.
As early as in pre- Magellanic times, education was informal, unstructured, and devoid of methods.
Children were provided more vocational training and less academics (3 Rs) by their parents and in the
houses of tribal tutors.The pre-Spanish system of education underwent major changes during the Spanish
colonization. The tribal tutors were replaced by the Spanish Missionaries. Education was religionoriented. It was for the elite, especially in the early years of Spanish colonization. Access to education by
the Filipinos was later liberalized through the enactment of the Educational Decree of 1863 which
provided for the establishment of at least one primary school for boys and girls in each town under the
responsibility of the municipal government; and the establishment of a normal school for male teachers
under the supervision of the Jesuits. Primary instruction was free and the teaching of Spanish was
compulsory. Education during that period was inadequate, suppressed, and controlled. The defeat of
Spain by American forces paved the way for Aguinaldo's Republic under a Revolutionary Government.
The schools maintained by Spain for more than three centuries were closed for the time being but were
reopened on August 29, 1898 by the Secretary of Interior. The Burgos Institute in Malolos, the Military
Academy of Malolos, and the Literary University of the Philippines were established. A system of free
and compulsory elementary education was established by the Malolos Constitution.
The Spanish missionaries founded and organized schools (nautical and commerce, fine arts, agriculture,
trades, home arts, surveying, medicine). The early schools were San Agustin College, Iloilo; San Alberto
College, Dagupan, Pangasinan; San Juan de Letran, Manila and Colegio de Sto. Tomas, Manila.

University of San Agustin

Colegio de San Juan de Letran

Colegio de San Alberto Magno

University of Santo Tomas

Churches- Since the Spaniards came to the Philippines by conquest, and later to spread Christianity, the
first structures which they erected were churches and fortresses. The building of a church marked the
beginning of community planning. Wherever a church was erected, the people tried to live within its
vicinity. The churches which generally of simplified Baroque, Byzantine or Romanesque style, were built
by Spanish friars, who without formal training as architects or engineers, supervised their erection by
using pictures of churches from their native country, especially those from the province of Andalucia,
Spain. These churches were constructed by Chinese and Filipino workmen under the efficient supervision
of the friars. This procedure resulted in huge edifices with the combination of Oriental and Occidental
features of Hindu, Chinese, Indo-Chinese, Romanesque, Baroque and even Gothic influences. Sometimes,
they were decorated with crude and clumsy details of spontaneous and unprecedented character. Built of
soft, porous materials, these edifices have through decades absorbed enough moisture and vegetable
matter to produce considerably surface vegetation resulting in charming color and pictures quite
alleviating their gross proportion and clumsy details. They formed important feature of the landscape of a
town, depicting impressive ecclesiastical monument. In plan the churches were either rectangular of
cruciform with simple nave and aisles, baptistery and belfry. The thick walls were made of adobe and
brick interstices mortared with lime, honey and sand. The thick walls were supported by massive
buttresses for protection against earthquakes. Between buttresses and the walls were interspersed with
small window openings. The facades were embellished with classical details, niches, low reliefs. Spanish
colonial churches were erected in many towns throughout the Philippines. At the clause of the Spanish
regime there were 2,778 churches scattered throughout the country, and they present a variety of
architectural styles, from Greco-Romano to Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic, Moorish and Gothic. These
churches became foremost patron of architecture, sculpture and painting. They provide logical setting for
the development of the art of sculpture and painting, the former for religious statuary and architectural
ornamentation, and the latter for murals and decorative ornaments for the ceilings, walls, pendentives and
soffit of the domes. Their proportions, scales and details were either modified or adulterated depending on
the availability of a design, "maestro de obras" or sculptor assigned to undertake the work.
Significant examples of churches built by the Spanish missionaries are: San Agustin church, considered
as the oldest church in Manila (1599-1606 by Bro. Antonio Herrera), the church of Sto. Nino, Cebu, solid
Romanesque (1565). The San Agustin church was able to resist the earthquakes of 1645, 1754, 1852,
1863, and 1880. It was the only church that escaped the destructive Pacific War in 1942. Notable
churches outside of Manila are the Church of Taal, Batangas by Fr. Marcos Anton; Lipa, Batangas, by Fr.
Bonito Varas; Church of Tuguegarao, Cagayan by Fr. Anton Lebato; Church of Baclayon, Bohol, by Fr.
Juan de Torres. The old Sto. Domingo Church built in Intramuros by Fr. Diego Soria when destroyed was
rebuilt by Filipino architect Felix Roxas. The Manila Cathedral had its beginning from bamboo and nipa
construction was the first parish church in Manila in 1571. After its destruction in 1593, 1599 it was
replaced by stone edifice in 1610 by Archbishop Diego Vasquez de Mercado. Since then it suffered
several destructions caused by earthquakes. The fifth edifice, (the actual cathedral before the Pacific War)
was built by architects Luciano Olivar, Vicente Serrano and Eduardo Navarro, and solemnly blessed in
1869. The architecture is a composite of Byzantine and Romanesque. Above its lofty dome is a cross
which is the reference of all astronomical altitudes of the Archipelago. The Barasoin Church of Malolos
was the scene of promulgation of the Philippine Constitution by President Aguinaldo of the first
Philippine Republic on June 23, 1899.

San Agustin Church

Church of Tuguegarao

Sto. Nino Church

Church of Baclayon

Barasoin Church

Church of Taal

Sto. Domingo Church

III. Conclusion
Therefore I conclude about this research is that even though Spanish Architecture originated from Spain it
did not only flourish throughout its country but also in our country the Philippines. For me the
colonization of Spanish here in the Philippines did not only bring war but had also given us the benefit to
improve our way of Architecture. I can also say that the structures made by the Spanish here in the
Philippines also influenced the styles of some Filipino Architects in making there design that also adds
beauty and also history. The main conclusion for this research would be that the Spanish styles or Spanish
Architecture has greatly influenced the Architecture in the Philippines.

IV. References
http://www.spanish-art.org/spanish-architecture.html
http://www.librarylink.org.ph/featarticle.asp?articleid=110
http://www.ternar.com/asianart_98/ph-arki.html
http://www.deped.gov.ph/about/history
http://filipiniana101.blogspot.com/2014/03/list-parts-of-bahay-na-bato.html
https://www.google.com.ph/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=10alVI7sLYL8mgWB94GwBw#q=google+images