San Sebastian Church sits in the old district of Quiapo, Manila. It is an all-steel structure, the only such church in the Philippines, and is one of the few buildings worldwide to be made almost wholly out of metal. This church stands tall and magnificent, as a prominent building in a sea of non-descript buildings.

San Sebastian Church‘s neo-gothic finish is also one-of-a-kind at a time when baroque structures were more popular during the Spanish colonial era of the Philippines, a work of art indeed.

As far back as 1611, older churches were built by Recollect friars at the site of San Sebastian Church but these were destroyed by fires and earthquakes in 1859, 1863, and 1880. Afterward, then parish priest Esteban Martinez approached Spanish architect Genaro Palacios to design a church that could survive fire, earthquakes, and other environmental calamities. Thus, they built an all-steel structure that can defy the elements throughout the millennia.

Steel segments were produced in Belgium, shipped to the Philippines, and assembled by Belgian engineers. The stained glass windows, meanwhile, were prepared in Germany. San Sebastian Church was blessed on August 16, 1891.

San Sebastian Church was pronounced a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines on August 15, 2011 and was included as one of the National Shrines, Monuments, and/or Landmarks in President Ferdinand Marcos’ Presidential Decree No. 260 in 1973.

To reach San Sebastian Church, we rode a van bound for Quiapo and we went down Morayta Street. From there, we walked all the way to San Sebastian Church.

As an alternative route, take LRT 1, alight at Central Station, and ride a jeepney going to San Miguel, Quiapo. Just ask the jeepney driver to drop you off in front of San Sebastian Church.

In a not noticeable section of EDSA in Makati City, there stands a spectacular centuries-old stone church. Guadalupe Church stands concealed from the public eye and, chances are, you will easily miss it.

If you are coming from the north, make a quick right turn on a narrow road right after Guadalupe Bridge to reach this hidden building perched atop a hill.

Guadalupe Church was constructed by the Augustinian friars, led by Fray Juan de Montes de Oca, in the early 1600s and was completed after almost three decades of construction.

Our Lady of Guadalupe was designated as the patroness of the community in the early 1600s in honor of the Virgin Mother who was venerated in Spain. Many years afterward, devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe spread via the Manila-Acapulco trade. Devotees came all the way from Spain and Mexico to venerate the Virgin Mother.

Guadalupe Church is also known as Nuestra Señora de Gracia and is a Baroque Roman Catholic church. It is built like a massive stone fortress with bulky stone walls.

The church is a blend of different architectural styles: the façade is Neo-Romanesque-Gothic with Doric columns holding the cornice and pediment. Outside, there are also influences of Baroque and Arabesque designs.

It features large side entrances that allow the breeze to flow through the interiors of the church. Even with its large doorways, the interiors seemed impenetrable to sound, providing a reprieve from the racket and hustle of EDSA. It was a sanctuary; in fact, this used to be a holiday house for the Manila clergy in the olden days.

The Guadalupe Church also once served as a school, and an orphanage to give shelter to orphans of the victims of cholera that ravaged Manila in the late 1800s. It survived the Japanese Occupation, the Philippine-American War, and several earthquakes.

Nowadays, the church, renowned for its splendor, is one of the most sought-after wedding venues in Metro Manila.

Aside from the Guadalupe Church, another one of the original churches in Makati is the Saints Peter and Paul Church. This Baroque-style San Pedro Church was built by the Jesuits to be the religious center of San Pedro de Macati. The oldest building in Makati, this church is nominated by the government as an important cultural structure.

Through the years, adjoining buildings were constructed – a novitiate for the Jesuits and a house of retreat. The church and the novitiate were devoted to San Pedro, in honor of the late Rev. Pedro de los Montes, the church’s designer, and to Capt. Pedro de Britto, the Regidor of Manila bequeathed the land called Buenavista, the property where the church stands, in 1607. The Jesuits administered the church until 1768.

The old residents of the area were nicknamed San Pedro de Macati Sampiro, which ultimately came to refer to both the church and the old town.

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