Saturday, December 17, 2011

Heritage of Cebu Monument at the Parian Park Cebu




The Heritage of Cebu Monument rises on a gated triangular patch of land called Parian Park bordered by three narrow streets in Barangay Parian, a few hops from the northern tip of Colon. It’s an eye-popping showcase of artistry that mostly depicts the start of colonial rule in the country. In it elaborate artistry, the struggle for freedom isn’t lost on us. This pastiche of handpicked events are an amalgam of what transpired in a historical past peppered by hundreds of years of colonial invasions – from the Spaniards to the Americans and the Japanese, though the spine tingling, albeit horrific invasion of Japan has been stricken out from this collection.

Commissioned during the time of Mayor Alvin Garcia, the monument was an original idea of the artist Eduardo Castrillo and the mayor. Conceptualized in 1996, construction of the monument began in 1997 and took 3 years to complete (December 8, 2000). According to The Freeman, during the excavation for its foundation, artifacts of pre-Spanish Cebuanos were dug out, which unearthed skeletons and several stonewares, plates and jars. There was indeed evidence that local civilization flourished way before the arrival of Ferdinand Magelllan, the iconic “discoverer” of the Philippines – as though the country only started to matter once he set foot on our soils. This one coming from men who wore tights and, on occasion, skirts. Such conceit, indeed.





On cursory glance, we can enumerate some of its detail: the arrival of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his Spanish crew of 150 in huge galleon ships; the introduction of Christianity, and the country’s first mass; a Santo Nino procession; the fierce Battle of Mactan with chieftain Lapu Lapu leading the pack; the revolution of 1896, and, curiously, a statue of the imposing Manuel Quezon, the first President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines (as sanctioned by the United States of America) who envisioned the possible annexation of the country into U.S. statehood.

The park's surrounding area is residential, but just across the entrance, you will find the Pari-an Fire Station, circa 1954, one of the oldest existing fire stations in the country. Just beside it is a small Chapel of San Juan Bautista (John the Baptist). Crossing the street will get you to the Yap-San Diego House, known to be the oldest preserved residential dwelling in the country which has been turned into a museum.

The past continually guides us so that we don’t commit the same mistakes, nor allow intrusions into our sovereignty.

This is the Eye in the Sky!








Ferdinand Magellan























Chieftain Lapu Lapu





Manuel L. Quezon


The first mass held in the Philippines happened on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1531. It transpired in an island named Mazaua, as witnessed by Antonio Pigafetta, Gines de Mafra, Frnacisco Albo, and Martin de Ayamonte in Limasawa, a town at the tip of southern Leyte, now Butuan City.


Parian Fire Station circa 1954


San Juan Bautista Chapel


Some European tourists checking out the monument.

5 comments:

Ramakrishnan said...

Magnificent monument & impressive statues. Nice pics of the fire station & chapel.Must be a big tourist draw.

eye in the sky said...

Curiously, there wasn't a lot of visitors the whole time I was there. Maybe it was a low season for tourists - or the area. I don't think it's part of an itinerary - just yet.

I love the place though. There's a lot to see. This "heritage" monument, the Colon monument, Parian's Yap-San Diego Ancestral House, the slumbering fire house...

Anonymous said...

we're visiting cebu in october. and this is an interesting place to go to. how can we get to this place from the airport. is it far from the airport?

eye in the sky said...

Taxi is the easiest means of transport to this heritage monument. It's located in Cebu City proper's old district so a taxi from the airport would probably cost around P250 to 300, nothing more.

In the surrounding area, you could also check out the Philippine's oldest street, Colon; the Yap-San Diego Ancestral House and the beautiful Gorordo Museum a block or so from Yap-San Diego.

Pearly said...

thank you very much for the information..it really help my research....