BEFORE...
AND AFTER!
This photo was taken while it was being constructed in 1897. When it was over, it brought fame to the Philippines as being the first and only all-steel structure in all of Asia, and second in the world. Not only the main structure of this building, but also its walls and even the intersecting vaulting, were of metal construction. This was the fruit of neogothic tendencies and the Industrial Revolution then ongoing in Europe. The steel was shipped to Manila from Belgium - truly a pioneer in prefabricated construction.
Located in Quiapo, the construction was done under the supervision of Engineer Genaro Palacios y Guerra, who also did the design.
4 comments:
San Sebastian.
Correct!
The stained glass windows are said to have been made in France. I wonder who financed this expensive and ambitious project?
No, the stained glass windows are not from France but from Germany.
While in Belgium monitoring the progress of the fabrication phase of the church, Don Genaro Palacios was very much impressed by works of the Henri Oidtmann Company, a German stained glass firm which had won in international competitions in the 1880's.
With the approval of the Recollects Don Genaro ordered the stained glass windows from the Rhine firm, whose factory was in Linnich. The entire set of stained glass windows had a total cost of Pesos 3,931.69
The project with grand total cost of Pesos 246,378.30 caused such a strain on the coffers of the Province of St. Nicholas of Tolentino and San Sebastian Convent, and thus, was completed through the help and generosity of the Recollect Hacienda of Imus, Cavite, the parish of Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje in Antipolo and other Recollect parishes in the country.
Oh, so there it is. I did use "are said to me made..." and is not stated as fact :-)
Thanks so much, Sydney! You never cease to amaze.
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