It was more than 6 years ago that I first seen and visited the historical church of Santa Barbara with its nostalgic convent owing it to my class in Local History which I don’t consider as local since I’m not Ilongga. I felt like a tourist and asked a lot of things to our professor who was more knowledgable about the church than the tour guide with my classmates just touring around obviously familiar with this church. And now that I am based in Iloilo I still admire this place and frequently drops by for a lazy Sunday afternoon drive.
The Santa Barbara Church and Convent has been a National Treasure since 1991 with its role not just as well-preserved religious structure but served as a headquarters for local rebels who fought against the Spaniards. Led by Gen. Martin Delgado, local soldiers with their primitive bolos proclaimed their rebellion against the Spanish rule – the first documented rebellion outside Luzon. Thus, this church is also known as the “Cradle of Ilonggo Revolution”.
Its facade is of neoclassical architecture but its convent is far more impressive with its preserved structures since it was built in 1855-1878.
The Santa Barbara Convent with its noticeable red bricks is of Hispanic Moorish architecture or what they call as the “mudejar” architecture. Using brick as its main material, these type of structures are common in Southern Spain like in Seville and Aragon.
Though I have visited the Santa Barbara Church and Convent many times, I only entered the convent’s interior once during my said trip more than 6 years ago. I can still vividly remember the errie feeling creeping in our bones as I pretended to be Maria Clara and another class clown as Crisostomo Ibarra. And true to its military purposes, there are many secret passages in the convent.
Lying just 16 kilometers from Iloilo City, a side trip to Santa Barbara Church and Convent is a nice idea if you are in Iloilo. And if you are in Santa Barbara, you can also visit the Santa Barbara Golf Course which is the oldest existing golf course in the country. You can also visit their local museum which is just across the church.
Did you know?
It is illegal in Santa Barba to use plastic bags. Instead, this use bags made from paper, buri and other prescribed non-plastic containers. Such move is obviously for the town to answer the call of Mother Earth.
How to get to Santa Barbara Church in Iloilo
Santa Barbara is only less than 20 minutes from Iloilo City and lies close to the airport. From the city, take a jeepney bound for Santa Barbara in University of the Philippines campus fronting Iloilo Doctor’s Hospital or from SM City ( you have to cross the street from SM City).
9 Comments
Nice church. Would have been better if we can see the church’s interior… 🙂 My feet are itchy again… 🙂
The church was close when we went there and the pics with the interior were deleted when my PC went Gaga..hehehe.
I was there in 1965.During
mid afternoon would visit
with the residents of a leper
colony in plaza.
Loved the way the birds
would fly in ,chirping during Mass.
Hello Diana,
Thanks for dropping by. Hope you can visit again, the renovated the church and the courtyard.