Region IV-A (CALABARZON) |
The region is composed of five provinces, namely: Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon; acronym CALABARZON. |
Provides profile, geography, map, places to stay and accommodations, tourist attractions, festivals and special interest. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
- Batangas Islands Philippines - Brief History - Geography - Climate - Language/Dialects - Political Subdivisions -
- Population - Festivals - Taal Lake & Volcano - Taal Heritage - Anilao Diving -
- Historical Attractions - Cultural Attractions - Natural Attractions - Religious Attractions - Man-Made Attractions -
- Mountain Climbing / Volcano Trekking - Tanauan Aerial Sports - Aquasports / Air Sports - Diving -
- Golf Courses - Balisongs - Hotels and Resorts Accomodation - Shoppings - Emergency Services -
Batangas Islands Philippines
Cultural Tourist Attractions Pastor House Still a private residence of the Pastor family, it is an example of turn-of-the-century residential design. It was originally owned by Mr. Alejo Acosta, the Barrio Captain of Batangas in 1883. Flights of Steps, Taal Connecting the Taal Church and Caysasay Shrine is a flight of 123 rough-hewn marble steps. A path branches off the steps that leads to the Santa Lucia wells, where water is believed to be medicinal. Santa Lucia Wells About 500 meters off the Flights of Steps past a dried creek and gloomy undergrowth are the twin wells of Sta. Lucia in Taal. The present wells used to be a brook, the site of which is said to be one of the places where the Virgin of Caysasay performed her miracles. The people built a church near the well area but an 18th century earthquake caused the church to sink, although its façade, half immersed, remained intact. After the quake, spring water gushed out of the twin doors. Msgr. Clemente G. Yatco Museum The museum was built in memory of the late parish priest who started to work for the creation of the museum. It is found within the compound of the Basilica, located at the city proper. Ilagan Ancestral House It is a well-preserved residential structure constructed in the late Spanish period. It is still used by the descendants as a private residence. Visitors are accommodated only by special arrangement with the present-day owners. Taal Heritage Taal reigns as one of the two most culturally preserved sites of the Spanish colonial era; the other is Vigan in Ilocos sur. The village conforms to the old town layout combining municipal hall-school-church-houses. It consists of a number of tourist attractions, namely, the Leon Apacible Historical Landmark, Marcela Mariño Agoncilio Museum and Monument, Basilica of San Martin de Tours, Escuela Pia, and Church of Our Lady of Caysasay. Leon Apacible Historical Landmark A national landmark, the ancestral house of Leon Apacible houses the family collection of relics and memorabilia. Marcela Mariño Agoncilio Museum and Monument This ancestral house belonged to Marcela Agoncilio, the distinguished Taaleña matron who helped sew the first Philippine flag. Basilica of San Martin de Tours / Taal Church San Martin de Tours is the patron of Taal, in whose honor a fest is celebrated every November 11. The church was first built by Father Diego Espina in 1575 in San Nicolas. It was destroyed when Taal volcano erupted in 1754, rebuilt at the present site in 1755, and once more destroyed by an earthquake in 1849. Construction of the present church was started in 1856. Once noted to be the biggest in South East Asia, the church is unique in its combined patriotic, religious, and artistic influence. Writers point to its theatrical exuberance. Its façade is baroque and consists of a single mass of stone shaped into rich complex designs. The church, however, is a fusion of styles with arched openings, alternating segmental canopies and arches of assymmetric shapes. Escuela Pia This centuries-old Spanish edifice used to be an educational institution in Hispanic times. It is now an imposing architectural legacy left standing in the plaza compound. Church of Our Lady of Caysasay This church is one of the province’s distinct cultural artifacts for some of the priceless relics of the Spanish colonial period. Among the relics are the 27-centimeter image of the Virgin which was fished out of the waters in 1603, the Augustinian emblems engraved on the communion rails, the ornately carved holy water receptacle, and the few baroque motifs which remain on the external frieze. The church has been renovated but many interesting details of period art can still be appreciated. |
