Basilica de San Martin de Tours, Taal, Batangas Philippines- HERITAGE TOWN
It is considered to be the largest
church in the Philippines
and in Asia, standing 96 metres (315 ft) long
and
45 metres (148 ft) wide. St. Martin of Tours is the
patron saint of
Taal, whose fiesta is celebrated
every November 11....EL PASUBAT
FESTIVAL
Construction of the present church was begun in 1856 by
Fr. Marcos Anton with Spanish architect Luciano Oliver
commissioned to design and manage the construction
of the new church.
Although it was unfinished,
it was inaugurated in 1865. This huge church
was completed
by Fr. Agapito Aparicio in 1878, adding the main
altar of
Doric style measuring 24 metres (79 ft) high
and 10 metres (33 ft) wide
In December 8, 1954, the church was relegated into a
Minor Basilica,
the third in the country to be given such honor.
The church was again
restored in 1972 by the
Taal Quadricentennial Council for the 400th
anniversary
of the town's establishment. By Presidential
Decree No. 375
on January 16, 1974, the church
was declared a National Shrine. The
damaged belfry
was later restored in 1990 under the supervision
of the National Historical Institute.
Another important feature of Taal Basilica is its bell which is
considered as one of the largest bell in the country.
This massive
instrument is 19 feet (5.8 m) in circumference
at the lip, 9.33 feet
(2.84 m) around the crown and 6.42 feet
(1.96 m) in height. During the
earthquake of 1942, the
belfry collapsed and the bell fell from its
location damaging
and silencing it. The king of the bell, as it was
previously
known, is now hanging silently in its previous place
on the
restored dome
| Groundbreaking | 1st church (1575) 2nd church (1755) 3rd church (1856) |
|---|---|
| Completed | 1878 |
posted by BRAD @ 12:22 AM
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