Road Trip to Cabatuan… Cemetery

By that I am referring to Cabatuan Cemetery in Cabatuan, Iloilo City, Region 6, Philippines, Asia.

It was not actually a road trip going to the cemetery. Who wants a road trip leading to the cemetery anyway? I chanced upon this place during our road trip from Iloilo City going to Janiauy – a province in Iloilo City, Philippines.  What I was looking forward to see during this road trip are the famous old Iloilo churches.  But…

this is what exactly caught my eyes

Me: What is that?
Relative 1: (Grinning) “On no you don’t want to go there, it’s not a church,”
Me:  It looks mysterious, can we stop and check please?
Relative 2: (Wide eyed) It’s a cemetery!”
Me: Really? Wow it’s beautiful! Can we stop please? I’ll just take some quick shots
All Relatives:  We’re not going with you, you know… we’ll just stay in the car!
Me: Ok, but try to step on the breaks when the car drives by itself (grinning)
… and they all get out of the car (he he he)

a treasure find!
amazing to chance upon this magnificent architectural structure along the highway

To share some info from Mr. Wiki:

This century old Spanish-Filipino Cemetery is the only cemetery in the Philippines which is a perfect square. Three Byzantine arch entrances dominate the front-gate, while a baroque central chapel is located at the center. The chapel is a fusion of Roman, Gothic, Byzantine, and Baroque architectures. The complex carvings on the chapel's facade is considered to be the most distinct cemetery relief which can only be found in Cabatuan. Furthermore, this cemetery's neatness and organization is famous throughout the region.

And from philippineheritage.com:

Built of gray stone, the Cabatuan Cemetery was built by Fr. Juan Porras. The cemetery was blessed on 4 February 1894. Like Janiuay’s cemetery completed around the same time as Cabatuan’s; this cemetery is also built on a rise and approached through a flight of stairs. Its perimeter is surrounded by a fence of stone and wrought iron; the cemetery also has an octagonal mortuary chapel. The plan may be similar but the style is different. Here Classical and Romanesque elements dominate from the arch entrance of the main gate and its semicircular pediment, the use of arches for windows and door and even the arch shape repeated in the grille work. Baroque touches are evident in the rosettes decorating the gate and the mortuary chapel and the vase finials of the mortuary. Like Janiuay, Cabatuan has lost its dome shaped roof replaced by a flat cement roof. (Panublion)

Too bad they won’t allow me to further explore the place, so we just had some fun around the magnificent gate

Boo!

It could have been exciting to explore more behind these mysterious wrought irons.  Talk to the creatures who stay there if possible (LOL).  But as I have mentioned this is just a side trip.  We have yet to explore three towns and its churches.  I’ll be sharing with you this road trip on another post.

The road trip that we were able to do after chasing the car that drove by itself!  Awooo…