Spanish colonial fortifications in the Philippines

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

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.

Contents

List of forts

ImageNameFoundedLocationConditionTypeNotes
Fort Santiago facade.jpg
Fuerza de Santiago 1571 Intramuros, Manila restoredcitadel
Fort San Pedro - main entrance.jpg
Fuerte de San Pedro 1630 Cebu City, Cebu restoreddefense
Fuerza de la Nuestra Señora del Rosario 1602 Iloilo City destroyeddefense
Fort Cuyo.jpg
Fuerza de Cuyo 1680 Cuyo, Palawan restoreddefense
Nuestro Senora La Virgen Del Pilar.jpg
Real Fuerte de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza 1635 Zamboanga City restoreddefense
Fort of San Antonio Abad - back entrance 2.JPG
Fuerza de San Antonio Abad 1584 Malate, Manila restoreddefense
Fort Sta. Isabel in Taytay.JPG
Fuerza de Sta. Isabel 1667 Taytay, Palawan restoreddefense
Capul Church, Northern Samar.JPG
Fuerza de Capul1596 Capul, Northern Samar ruindefense
Cotta Fort (Baybay Santa Cruz, Ozamiz, Misamis Occidental; 10-16-2023).jpg
Fuerte de la Concepcion y del Triunfo 1756 Ozamiz, Misamis Occidental restoredcitadel
KITLV A393 - Fort San Felipe te Cavite op de Filippijnen, KITLV 79629.tiff
Fortaleza de San Felipe Cavite City, Cavite restoreddefense
Fuerza de Almonte1892 Bacolod, Lanao del Norte ruindefense
Cotta de Dapitan1761 Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte ruindefense
Fort Pikit 01.jpg
Fuerza de Pikit 1893 Malidegao, Cotabato ruindefense
Fuerza de Jolo1876 Jolo, Sulu destroyedcitadel
Fuerza de Masbate Masbate
Interior of Kuta Church Ruins.jpg
Fuerza de Bongabong 1737 Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro ruingarrison
Cuartel de Santo Domingo.JPG
Cuartel de Santo Domingo Santa Rosa, Laguna ruingarrison
View from Cagayancillo Fort - panoramio.jpg
Fuerza de Cagayancillo~1580s Cagayancillo, Palawan ruindefense
Fort San Andres in Romblon, Romblon 1.jpg
Twin Forts of Romblon 1645 Romblon, Romblon restoreddefense
Fort San Jose, Banton, Romblon.JPG
Fuerza de San José 1645 Banton, Romblon under restorationdefense
Militar Spanish Camp.jpg
Fuerte de Alfonso XII1890 Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur ruindefense
Baluarte Watch Tower, Luna, La Union.jpg
Baluarte Lunac.17th century Luna, La Union restoredbastion
Front view Kutang San Diego Gumaca, Quezon.JPG
Kutang San Diegoc.18th century Gumaca, Quezon restoreddefense
Dauis watchtower.jpg
Dauis watchtower1796 Dauis, Bohol restoredwatchtower
Watchtower in the Municipality of Panglao, Bohol.jpg
Panglao watchtower1851 Panglao, Bohol intactwatchtower
Punta Cruz Watchtower, Maribojoc, Bohol.jpg
Fuerte de San Vicente Ferrer 1796 Maribojoc, Bohol restoredwatchtower
Guinsiliban watchtower Guinsiliban, Camiguin restoredwatchtower
Laguindingan watchtower Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental ruinwatchtower
Watchtower in Guimbal, Iloilo.jpg
Guimbal watchtowersc.17th century Guimbal, Iloilo two restored, three ruinswatchtower
Baluarte, Lantawan or watchtower.JPG
Oslob watchtower Oslob, Cebu ruinwatchtower

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

Further reading