Pop-up Card: World Heritage Sites in the Philippines
In the Philippines, 83% of the population is Catholic (according to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website). This is largely due to the Spanish rule (1571-1898) that lasted for more than 300 years.
Many churches were built during the colonial period, and four of them were registered as World Heritage Sites in 1993 as “Baroque Churches in the Philippines".
The map shows these four churches.
In this update, I created pop-up cards of these four churches.
Brief descriptions of each church can be found on each page of the main website, so only photos are shown here.
San Agustin Church in Manila.
Miagao Church.
Saint Augustine Church of Paoay. Also called Paoay Church.
Santa Maria Church.
In registering these churches on the World Heritage List, two criteria were mentioned.
One is that they “have established a style of architecture and design adapted to the physical conditions of the Philippines".
The second is that they “have formed a new tradition by using local materials and motifs and integrating them with European design and architecture".
The first is the earthquake resistance and the role of the building as a fortress. Since it was built in the Philippines, a country prone to earthquakes, the walls were thickened and reinforced with thick buttresses. The thickness of the walls also serves as a defense against attacks from outside enemies.
In some cases, bell towers were built a short distance away from churches, apparently to limit damage from earthquakes. At the same time, the bell tower was also a watchtower.
The second is seen, for example, in the reliefs that decorate the front of the Miagao church. St. Christopher is depicted in traditional Filipino dress, and local flora and fauna, such as papayas and coconuts, are carved into the reliefs.
I heard that there are five other churches on the tentative list for proposed expansion, although they have not yet been registered. I have not checked those churches yet, so I will do so in the future.
As for the pop-up card pattern, I have released the Paoay church this time.
Please feel free to use it if you like.