ARCHITECTURAL CHURCH TOURISM: SAN SEBASTIAN CHURCH, MANILA
Content
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Chapter I
The Problem and Review of Related Literature
Introduction
One of the most famous beautiful and historical churches in Manila is the San
Sebastian Church, also known as the Basilica Menor de San Sebastian. It is made popular by
being the only all-steel church in the Philippines and some say in Asia. However, there are
more aspects of the architectural design that San Sebastian Church has to offer.
According to Galende (2007), the Basilica Minore de San Sebastian is a fine
representative of the Gothic revival in the Philippines. The basilica is mixed with 19thcentury innovations in church construction, architecture, and art. It takes pride as the only allsteel basilica in the world.
Upon entering the door, the vast interior, warmly lit crystal chandeliers and light
entering from the church doors radiate a warm feel. On the sides, the animated colors of the
stained glass windows are truly remarkable. These were said to be directly imported from a
German steel glass firm, Henri Oidtmann Company (Conopio, 2014).
The walls of the church were a mix of sand, gravel and cement. The interior of the
basilica are made of exquisite groined vaults, a true Gothic architecture-style. Confessionals,
pulpit, altars and retablos represent fine Gothic revival, which were headed and designed by
Professors from the Academia d Pintura y Dibuja, Lorenzo Rocha and Lorenzo Guerrero. The
vaults display intricate trompe l’oeil paintings of saints and several religious figures, an art
approach where the images create optical illusions. Together with their students, they
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decorated and painted the columns, walls and ceiling which exude marble and jasper
appearance. The central part of the church (commonly called the nave in Gothic Christian
architecture) where the main high altar is located, rises to a height of twelve meters from the
floor to the dome while measuring thirty-two meters to the tip of the spires. Beautiful spiral
staircases on the side of the church’s main entrance lead to the belfries and the choir loft
where a beautiful pipe organ is found (Conopio, 2014).
Conopio (2014) also said that the magnificent interior of the church is graced by the
image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a gift given by the Carmelite sisters from Mexico,
which is enshrined atop the marvelous altar. Throughout the natural occurrences and previous
restorations, the image had survived; however its original ivory head was stolen some 38
years ago.
According to Conopio (2014), with these significant elements, San Sebastian Church is
indeed the Philippines’ treasure to behold. In general, the basilica remains its beauty and is
still preserved. Apart from being a special architectural and historical interest, its splendor
and warmth have placed it among the most beloved wedding churches in Manila.
Thus, the intention of the paper is to promote the architectural design of San Sebastian
Church to local and foreign tourists and for the church to become a church tourism in Manila.
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Review of Related Literature
a. Architectural Church Tourism
Beshir (n.d.) stated that the idea of using a church as a tourist attraction is well known
in many parts of the world. For example, In Paris, tourists visit the Notre Dame Church. In
Egypt, tourists don’t visit just the Pyramids; they also visit the old churches in Old Cairo, the
old monasteries, and the new Cathedral in Cairo. In Washington, D.C., tourists make trips to
the National Cathedral and the Catholic Basilica of the National Shrine, in the Catholic
University campus. People like to visit “Tourist attractions” as long as they find something
beneficial or attractive for them, either historical, or cultural or artistic, just to mention a few.
Tinniswood (1989) stated that the activity of seeking out and visiting a building simply
for the opportunity of seeing and enjoying it rather than for any other purpose. This pastime
has grown enormously in popularity over the last 80 years, and particularly since the 1940s,
when the stately home business began in earnest.
Whilst many people visit churches with some spiritual inclination, it is also clear that
visitors do not need to be ‘believers’ to enjoy exploring the cultural assets and associations
represented by churches. As Simon Jenkins asserts, “A church is more than a place of
denominational worship. It is the stage upon which pageant of community has been played
out for a millennium” and, “these churches were, and still are glorious… a dispersed gallery
of vernacular art… without equal anywhere in the world” (Duff, 2009).
The architecture of cathedrals, basilicas and abbey churches is characterised by the
buildings' large scale and follows one of several branching traditions of form, function and
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style that all ultimately derive from the Early Christian architectural traditions established in
the Constantinian period (Architecture of cathedrals and great churches, 2015).
The term basilica, when applied to a church, may be used in two ways. In architectural
parlance, it signifies a building that has similarities to the basilica structures of Ancient
Rome, being of longitudinal rather than central plan, having a central nave with an aisle on
either side separated by a colonnade, and an apse at one end.In the ecclesiastical sense, a
basilica is a church that has been designated as such by the pope, and has accordingly
received certain privileges. A building that is designated as a basilica might be a cathedral, an
abbey, a shrine or a parish church (Architecture of cathedrals and great churches, 2015).
b. The San Sebastian Church
The Basílica Menor de San Sebastián, better known as San Sebastian Church, is
a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Manila, Philippines and the seat of the Parish of San
Sebastian (San Sebastian Church, 2015).
Completed in 1891, San Sebastian Church is noted for its architectural features. An
example of the revival of Gothic architecture in the Philippines, it is the only all-steel temple
in the Philippines, and as the only prefabricated steel church in the world. In 2006, San
Sebastian Church was included in the Tentative List for possible designation as a World
Heritage Site. It was designated as a National Historical Landmark by the Philippine
government in 1973 (San Sebastian Church, 2015).
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San Sebastian Church is under the care of The Order of the Augustinian Recollects,
who also operate a college adjacent to the basilica. It is located at Plaza del Carmen, at the
eastern end of Recto Avenue, in Quiapo, Manila (San Sebastian Church, 2015).
According to Layug (2007), in 1621, Bernardino Castillo, a generous patron and a
devotee of the 3rd-century Roman martyr Saint Sebastian, donated the land upon which the
church stands. The original structure, made of wood, burned in 1651 during a Chinese
uprising. Succeeding structures, which were built of brick, were destroyed by fire and
earthquakes in 1859, 1863, and 1880 respectively.
In the 1880s, Esteban Martínez, the parish priest of the ruined church, approached the
Spanish architect Genaro Palacios, with a plan to build a fire and earthquake-resistant
structure made entirely of steel. Palacios completed a design that fused Earthquake
Baroque with the Neo-Gothic style. His final design was said to have been inspired by the
famed Gothic Burgos Cathedral in Burgos, Spain (Layug, 2007).
De Jesus (n.d.) stated that two Belgian engineers supervised the construction of the
church. On June 12, 1888, the first shipments of steel parts were brought to the Philippines.
For two years, the church was assembled with local artists and craftsmen joining the Belgian
firm in applying the final finishing touches on this new church of steel. The stained glass
windows were imported from the Henri Oidtmann Company, a German stained glass firm.
The engineering technique used in the construction of the church, including metal fixtures
and the overall structure, were from Gustave Eiffel, the creator of the Eiffel Tower. This was
confirmed when Chinese-American architect, I. M. Pei, visited the Philippines in the late
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70’s. He came to confirm what he heard about Gustave Eiffel designing a steel church in
Asia.
The Church of San Sebastian was raised to the status of a minor basilica by Pope Leo
XIII on June 24, 1890. The following year, on August 15, 1891, the all-steel church of San
Sebastian was inaugurated and blessed. The interior of the church displays groined vaults, a
characteristic of Gothic architecture. The columns, walls and ceiling were painted by Filipino
artist Lorenzo Rocha and his students resembling marble and jasper. True to the Gothic
revival spirit of the church are its confessionals, pulpit and altars as designed by Filipino
artist Lorenzo Guerrero. He, with fellow artist Eulogio Garcia, carved the statues of holy men
and women. Trompe l'oeil paintings were used to decorate the interiors of the church
(Basilica Minore de San Sebastian, 2007).
San
Sebastian
Church
was
a
declared
National
Historical
Landmark
by President Ferdinand Marcos through Presidential Decree No. 260 in 1973. State funding
was accorded to the church through the National Historical Institute which undertook
restoration in 1982. The Recollect community has likewise expended funds for the church's
maintenance and restoration (UNESCO, 2006).
c.Architectural design and structure of San Sebastian Church
The Basilica Minore de San Sebastian is a fine representative of the Gothic revival in
the Philippines. The basilica is mixed with 19th-century innovations in church construction,
architecture, and art. It takes pride as the only all-steel basilica in the world. The church is
under the administration of The Order of the Augustinian Recollects, located at Legarda St.
Quiapo, Manila (San Sebastian Church, 2007).
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According to Ducharme (2014), it has been said that Eiffel, the engineer behind
the Eiffel Tower and the steel structure within the Statue of Liberty was involved in the
design and construction of San Sebastian Church.
The connection between Eiffel and San Sebastian Church was reportedly confirmed by
Philippine historian Ambeth Ocampo while doing research in Paris. Ocampo published a
report stating that the prominent architect I.M. Pei had visited Manila in the 1970s to confirm
reports he had heard that Eiffel had designed an all-steel church in Asia (Ducharme, 2014).
Ducharme (2014) said that when Pei inspected San Sebastián Church, he reportedly
pronounced that the metal fixtures and overall structure were indeed designed by Eiffel. The
official catalogues of Eiffel make definite reference to the design and exportation of a church
in Manila in 1875, thirteen years before construction of San Sebastian Church actually
began. If true, this would still not preclude the possibility that Eiffel had designed the metal
structure of the church, with Palacios completing the actual design work.
Martinez (2008) mentioned that the prefabricated steel parts were manufactured in the
Societe Anonime des Enterprises de Travaux Publiques in Brussels, Belgium and were
delivered to Manila using six ships. For two years, the church was assembled like Lego™.
Local artists and craftsmen joined the Belgian firm in applying the finishing touches on the
new church. The interior of the church resembles that of gothic churches in Europe. Although
it is Gothic in design, the church is less extravagant than it might have been had it been built
on stone. There are no flying buttresses or gargoyles. Trompe l’oeil painting was used to
decorate the church’s interior and the crossed vaults on the ceiling, along with walls and
column were painted to resemble marble and jasper. European-made decorative iron
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mouldings were also used. Figures of saints, most of them painted directly of the iron walls
are uniformly high quality. The work was done by Filipino artist Lorenzo Rocha and his
students. The only pieces that are made of wood are the exquisitely carved confessionals, the
highly ornate pulpit and altars. These were designed by Filipino artist Lorenzo Guerrero.
Eulogio Garcia carved the statues of holy men and women. The stained glass windows were
imported from Henri Oidtmann Company of Germany.
San Sebation was constructed of 1,527 tons of steel manufactured in Binche,
Belgium, in 1886 and assembled over the course of two years by local craftsmen. The
interior, designed by the school of Lorenzo Rocha, is decorated by an elaborate painted
program: faux jasper and marble, and trompe l’oeils of angles, saints, medallions, and coats
of arms. There are 34 painted glass windows, all imported from the Henri Oidtmann
Company of Germany (Project: San Sebastian Basilica, n.d.).
San Sebastian Church has two openwork towers and steel vaulting. From its floor, the
basilica's nave rises 12 meters (39 ft) to the dome, and 32 meters (105 ft) to the tip of the
twin spires (Layug, 2007).
The faux finished interior of the church incorporates groined vaults in the Gothic
architecture style permitting very ample illumination from lateral windows. The
steel columns, walls and ceiling were painted by Lorenzo Rocha, Isabelo Tampingco and
Félix Martínez to give the appearance of marble and jasper. Trompe l'oeil paintings of saints
and martyrs by Rocha were used to decorate the interiors of the church (San Sebastian
Basilica tagged National Cultural Treasure, n.d.).
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True to the Gothic revival spirit of the church are its confessionals, pulpit, altars and
five retablos designed by Lorenzo Guerrero and Rocha (Jose, 1990). The sculptor Eusebio
Garcia carved the statues of holy men and women. Six holy water fonts were constructed for
the church, each crafted from marble obtained from Romblon (Institute of Science and
Technology, 1919).
Above the main altar is an image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, given to the church
by Carmelite sisters from Mexico City in 1617. The image withstood all the earthquakes and
fires which had destroyed previous incarnations of San Sebastian Church, but its ivory head
was stolen in 1975 (Layug, 2007).
According to Pena (2014), while the all-steel structure still proudly stands in the
Philippine capital today, the harsh tropical climate threatens the very existence of the basilica
that was declared as a national historical landmark in 1973. A closer inspection of the basilica
would reveal that rust is slowly taking over some portions of this edifice—from the columns
and even the doors. Rain water seeping into the structure has even corroded critical areas of
the church’s dome and belfry. In 2013, a technical team discovered more than 300 leaks
within the church. Unfortunately, the sources of some leaks are still unknown. The
environmental condition in the area also led to deterioration of its interior finishes including
the trompe l’oeil paintings of various holy men and women.
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Synthesis of Related Literature
According to the experts in this field, San Sebastian Church takes pride as the only
all-steel basilica in the Philippines, and as the only prefabricated steel church in the world. It
is a unique basilica, one of the creations of Gustave Eiffel, and it was designated as a
National Historical Landmark by the National Museum and the Philippine government.
These are the ideas of Ducharme (2014), Martinez (2008) and Alcazaren (2002).
According to Ducharme (2014), the connection between Eiffel and San Sebastian Church
was reportedly confirmed by Philippine historian Ambeth Ocampo while doing research
in Paris. Ocampo published a report stating that the prominent architect I.M. Pei had visited
Manila in the 1970s to confirm reports he had heard that Eiffel had designed an all-steel
church in Asia. When Pei inspected San Sebastián Church, he reportedly pronounced that the
metal fixtures and overall structure were indeed designed by Eiffel. The official catalogues of
Eiffel make definite reference to the design and exportation of a church in Manila in 1875,
thirteen years before construction of San Sebastian Church actually began. If true, this would
still not preclude the possibility that Eiffel had designed the metal structure of the church,
with Palacios completing the actual design work.
Martinez (2008) stated that, for years, many have declared that the church was
designed by monsieur Eiffel himself, however there were no known document (building
permit?) that supports that claim. A Chinese-American, I.M. Pei visited the Philippines in the
late 70’s confirmed after inspecting the church that the metal works and the overall structure
were no less designed by Gustave Eiffel. Ambeth Ocampo discovered information in Europe
proving that Eiffel’s steel engineering firm’s participation in the building of church.
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However, the discovery of Ocampo did not say that Eiffel was the architect of the San
Sebastian Church. Thus, the closes connection of Eiffel with San Sebastian Church could be
his ideas behind the innovative use of steel that was incorporated to the building of the
church and that he was working as a structural engineer for the Belgian firm where the metal
parts of the church was manufactured.
While Alcazaren (2002) said that the Philippine Institute of Architects (PIA) feature
differs from the official National Historical Institute (NHI) and other reports in that it credits
Gustave Eiffel for the design of San Sebastian, saying that: "Records at the Libraries of
Congress in Washington and of Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris attest that Eiffel designed
a knock-down all-steel church for the Philippines." It is also reported that the Library of
Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris has Eiffel’s biography and catalogue of complete works,
which include "one church in Manila, Philippines, 1875." The dates from the NHI and PIA
accounts seem not to tally but nearby bridges could give some clues to the conundrum. The
Ayala Bridge is credited to Gustave Eiffel’s company but the date accorded is 1872. It may
have been that both the Colgante and the Ayala bridges were originally designed by Gabaud
but that Eiffel was called in to repair the bridge after it was found weakened (by an
earthquake probably) in 1888. This was the same time that the San Sebastian was being built.
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Conceptual Framework
12
Figure 1
Paradigm of the Study
Figure 1 shows the input, process and output model. The inputs are the respondents’
perceptions whether local or foreign tourists on the architectural design of San Sebastian
Church in Quiapo, Manila, the aspects of the architectural design that interest the tourists,
part of the church that interest the tourists, part of the church that that should be given more
attention or emphasis by guides during actual tours, reasons why people go to San Sebastian
church, and information about the architectural church tourism, history of San Sebastian
church and architectural design and structure of the church which is in accordance with the
statement of the problem and review of the related literature. The processes are survey
questionnaire and interview guide. The outputs are the architectural church tourism in San
Sebastian church in Quiapo, Manila, the church to be included in the itinerary for tours in
Manila and other recommendations given by the respondents.
Statement of the Problem
The study determined the architectural church tourism in Manila in the case of San
Sebastian Church in Quiapo, Manila. Specifically, the study answered the following
questions:
1. What are the perceptions’ of local and foreign tourists on the architectural design of San
Sebastian Church in Quiapo, Manila?
2. What aspects of the architectural design interest the tourists?
3. Which parts of the church interest the tourists?
4. What parts of the church should be given more attention or emphasis by guides during
actual tours?
5. What are the reasons why people go to San Sebastian Church?
6. Do you think that the San Sebastian Church should be included in the itinerary for tours
in Manila?
7. What are your recommendations to improve architectural church tourism of San
Sebastian Church?
Significance of the Study
The importance and purpose of this study is to promote the architectural design of
San Sebastian Church located in Quiapo, Manila to local and foreign tourists and the church
to become a church tourism in Manila. Its purpose is for the people to appreciate the good
works and architectural design of the church. This study helps and benefits the society not
only to the locals of Manila but to the whole Philippines as well.
Scope and Limitations
The scope of this study is the church of San Sebastian in Quiapo, Manila that has a
good architectural design. This study covers the perception of the respondents to the
architectural design of the church, part of the church that interest the tourists, aspects of
architectural design and part of the church that interest the tourists, part of the church that
should be given more emphasis by guides during actual tours, reasons why people go to San
Sebastian Church, the church to be included in the itinerary for tours in Manila, and
recommendations to improve architectural church tourism of San Sebastian Church.
This study used a purposive sampling method with an inclusion criterion of local or
foreign tourists that are visiting or attending mass in San Sebastian church. One hundred
(100) respondents are sampled. Three (3) respondents are interviewed who are working in the
parish office.
Definition of Terms
The following terms are defined operationally for better understanding of the readers
and arranged by significance:
Architectural Church Tourism – It refers to visiting and seeing the architectural design and
structure of the churches as a tourism activity.
San Sebastian Church – Also known as the Basílica Menor de San Sebastián, is a Roman
Catholic minor basilica in Manila, Philippines and the seat of the Parish of San Sebastian. It
is noted for its architectural features. It is an example of Gothic revival architecture and it is
the only all-steel temple in the Philippines, and as the only prefabricated steel church in the
world (San Sebastian Church, 2015).
Architectural design – A technique, form or a stylistic representation that is used by
architects in classification of their work. They may include the various aspects of cultural
contexts and construction (Architectural Design, 2013).
Perception- this refers to the perceptions’ of local and foreign tourists on the architectural
design of San Sebastian Church.
Gothic revival architecture – (also referred to as Neo-Gothic) is an architectural
movement that began in the late 1740s in England. Gothic Revival draws features from the
original Gothic style, including decorative patterns, finials, scalloping, lancet windows, hood
mouldings, and label stops (Gothic Revival architecture, 2015).
Vault – The ceiling of a church formed of concrete, stone in mortar or brick in mortar
forming a continuous semicircular or pointed arch (Clay, 2010).
Nave – The area of a church between the façade and crossing or choir, specifically, the
central area between the aisles (Clay, 2010).
Rose Window – A round window, with tracery dividing it into sections, called petals (Clay,
2010).
Trompe l'oeil – An art technique that uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that
the depicted objects exist in three dimensions (Trompe l'oeil, 2015).
Tholobate - in architecture, is the upright part of a building on which a dome is raised. It is
generally in the shape of a cylinder or a polygonal prism.
Chapter II
Methodology
This chapter represents the research methodology used by the researcher. Parts of
these are the research design, the respondents, the research instrument, the data gathering
procedure and the data analysis.
Research Design
This study used a mixed method descriptive design involving qualitative and
quantitative methods. Survey questionnaire and interview guide were used as a research
instruments.
Respondents
This study used a purposive sampling method with an inclusion criterion of local or
foreign tourists that are visiting or attending mass in San Sebastian church. One hundred
(100) respondents are sampled. Three (3) respondents are interviewed who are working in the
parish office.
Research Instruments
The researcher used a survey questionnaire and interview guide which is in
accordance with the statement of the problem. It has the following parts: the first part of the
survey questionnaire is the respondents’ perceptions on the architectural design of San
Sebastian Church in Quiapo, Manila. The second part of the survey questionnaire is the
aspects of the architectural design that interest the tourists. The third part of the survey
questionnaire is the parts of the church that interests the tourists. The fourth part of the survey
questionnaire is the parts of the church that should be given more attention or emphasis by
guides during actual tours and the fifth part of the survey questionnaire is the reasons why
people go to San Sebastian church. The first part of the interview guide is the church to be
included in the itinerary for tours in Manila, and the second part of the interview guide is the
recommendations to improve architectural church tourism of San Sebastian church.
Data Gathering Procedure
The researcher visited the library to look for books and search the internet for some
related literatures that could help the study. The researcher constructed a survey questionnaire
and interview guide to gather data and information needed for the study. The researcher
identified the respondents that will answer their questions correctly. The respondents are
local and foreign tourists that are visiting or attending mass in San Sebastian Church and
people who are working in the parish office. The researcher conducted a survey and an
interview and tabulated the results. After the survey and the interview, the researcher
interpreted the data.
Data Analysis
After the floating of survey questionnaire and interview guide, the survey
questionnaire and interview guide are retrieved. I tabulated the results and use proper
statistics. The first part of the statement of the problem is the respondents’ perceptions on the
architectural design of San Sebastian church in Quiapo, Manila, frequency and percentage
are used. The second part is the aspects of architectural design that interests the tourists,
frequency and percentage are used. The third part is the part of the church that interests the
tourists, frequency and percentage are used. The fourth part is the part of the church that
should be given more attention or emphasis by guides during actual tours, frequency and
percentage is also used. The fifth part is the reasons why people go to San Sebastian church,
frequency and percentage are used. The sixth part is the church to be included in the itinerary
for tours in Manila, thematic analysis is used. The seventh part is the recommendations to
improve architectural tourism of San Sebastian church, thematic analysis is used.
Chapter III
Results and Discussion
In this chapter, the researcher evaluates the results of the collected data and these
results were presented, analyzed and summarized. The results and discussion were gathered
through survey questionnaire and interview guide. The results of these findings were
illustrated through tables to give a better understanding of the findings.
Results
Table 1
Perception on the architectural design of San Sebastian church in Quiapo, Manila
f
%
r
Unique
41
41
1
Attractive
38
38
2
Antique
13
13
3
Interesting
6
6
4
Unappealing
2
2
5
Table 1 present the label that 41 or 41% of the respondents perceived that their
perception on the architectural design of San Sebastian Church in Quiapo, Manila is unique.
The 38 or 38% of the respondents perceived that the church is attractive. 13 or 13% of the
respondents perceived that the church is antique. The 6 or 6% of the respondents perceived
that the church is interesting. While the 2 or 2% of the respondents perceived that the church
is unappealing.
Table 2
Aspects of the architectural design that interest the respondents
f
%
r
Gothic revival altar
98
98
1
Trompe-l'oeil interior painting
96
96
2
Rose and stained glass windows
89
89
3
Prefabricated steel base
87
87
4
Groined vault ceiling
87
87
4
Murals within dome's tholobate
77
77
5
Highly ornate pulpit
64
64
6
Crystal chandeliers
32
32
7
Carved wood confessionals
3
3
8
Table 2 present the label that 98 or 98% of the respondents said that the aspects of the
architectural design that interest them is the Gothic revival altar. The 96 or 96% of the
respondents said that it is the trompe-l’oeil interior paintings. The 89 or 89% of the
respondents said that it is the rose and stained glass windows. The 87 or 87% of the
respondents said that it is the groined vault ceiling and the prefabricated steel base. The 77 or
77% of the respondents said that it is the murals within the dome’s tholobate. The 64 or 64%
of the respondents said that it is the highly ornate pulpit. The 32 or 32% of the respondents
said that it is the crystal chandeliers and 3 or 3% of the respondents said that it is the carved
wood confessionals.
Table 3
Parts of the church that interest the respondents
f
%
r
Altar
98
98
1
Church interior
96
96
2
Windows
89
89
3
Ceiling
77
77
4
Steel base
71
71
5
Façade
27
27
6
Choir Loft
6
6
7
Nave
5
5
8
Table 3 present the label that 98 or 98% of the respondents said that the part of the
church that interest them is the altar. The 96 or 96% of the respondents said that it is the
church interior. The 89 or 89% of the respondents said that it is the windows. The 77 or 77%
of the respondents said that it is the ceiling. The 71 or 71% of the respondents said that it is
the steel base. The 27 or 27% of the respondents said that it is the façade. The 6 or 6% of the
respondents said that it is the choir loft and the 5 or 5% of the respondents said that it is the
nave.
Table 4
Parts of the church that should be given more attention or emphasis by guides during actual
tours
f
%
r
Church interior
98
98
1
Altar
96
96
2
Windows
89
89
3
Ceiling
77
77
4
Façade
51
51
5
Statues
27
27
6
Table 4 present the label that 98 or 98% of the respondents said that the part of the
church that should be given more attention or emphasis by guides during actual tours is the
church interior. The 96 or 96% of the respondents said that it is the altar. The 89 or 89% of
the respondents said that it is the windows. The 77 or 77% of the respondents said that it is
the ceiling. The 51 or 51% of the respondents said that it is the façade and the 27 or 27% of
the respondents said that it is the statues.
Table 5
Reasons why people go to San Sebastian church
F
%
r
To attend holy mass and pray
96
96
1
To see its architectural design
74
74
2
Because of its historical background
39
39
3
It is part of the tour itinerary
18
18
4
Others: 1. Weddings
5
5
5
Table 5 present the label that 96 or 96% of the respondents said that the reason why
people go to San Sebastian church is to attend holy mass or to pray. The 74 or 74% of the
respondents said that it is to see the architectural design of San Sebastian church. The 39 or
39% of the respondents said that it is because of the church’s historical background which
pertains to the San Sebastian Church being a National Historical Landmark, being nominated
as a World Heritage Site in 2006 and being one of the very few churches that retain its
original structure. The 18 or 18% of the respondents said that it is part of the tour itinerary
and the 5 or 5% of the respondents said that it is because of weddings.
Results of Interview Guide
San Sebastian Church to be included in the itinerary for tours in Manila
The respondents said that San Sebastian church should be included in the itinerary for
tours in Manila. They said that people should see and witness the only all-steel church in the
Philippines. They also said that San Sebastian church should be included in tours in Manila
because it is designated as a National Historical Landmark and it was nominated as a World
Heritage Site in 2006. One of the respondents said that San Sebastian is one of the few
churches that retain its original structure that’s why it should be included in the tour itinerary.
Recommendations to improve architectural church tourism of San Sebastian church
Two of the respondents recommended that the rusting part of the church to be repaired,
restored and taken care of so that it would not ruin the beauty of the church. The other
respondent said that the San Sebastian Basilica Conversation and Development Foundation
Inc. are organizing a fundraising event to help in restoration of San Sebastian church and the
respondent is recommending that many people should support the event. The parish is
training locals on how to tour tourists in San Sebastian church to showcase its extraordinary
structure and its historical background. The respondents also recommended that the tour
guides orient the tourists well so they won’t destroy any of the church’s property.
Discussion
Based on the results, the researcher found out that the respondents’ perceptions on the
architectural design of San Sebastian Church are unique and attractive. The aspects of the
architectural design that interest them are the gothic revival altar, the trompe-l’oeil interior
painting and the rose and stained glass windows of San Sebastian Church. The parts of the
church that interest them are the altar, church interior and windows. The parts of the church
that should be given more attention or emphasis by guides during actual tours are the church
interior, altar and windows; and the reasons why people go to San Sebastian Church are to
attend mass and to pray, and to see its architectural design.
The respondents supposed that the San Sebastian church should be included in the
itinerary for tours in Manila because of its architectural design and historical background of
the church. The respondents also said that San Sebastian Church, the all-steel church, needs
to be repaired and restored to retain its beauty and to prevent the church from total
destruction.
The themes that are identified in our interview such as the San Sebastian church is the
only all-steel church in the Philippines, included in the Tentative List as a possible World
Heritage Site in 2006, designated as a National Historical Landmark, has good architectural
design and the church should be repaired and restored are supported by Layug (2007),
Conopio (2014), Martinez (2008) and Zulueta (2015).
Conopio (2014) stated that one of the historical churches in Manila that exudes great
beauty and architecture is located in Quiapo, Manila. The light blue-green basilica that stands
in the busy end of Claro M. Recto Street doesn’t entirely give off an ancient feel; however, its
color emphasizes its striking features – two open towers with pyramidal spires, louvered
windows and an intricately designed rose window, which indicate a particular uniqueness of
the church’s architectural background.
According to Layug (2007), the San Sebastian Church had been named a National
Historical Landmark by the Philippine government in 1973. In 2006, San Sebastian Church
was included in the Tentative List as a possible World Heritage Site.
According to Martinez (2008), standing majestically on Plaza Del Carmen
surrounded by rows of old houses in Quiapo is a structure having connections with the world
famous artist-engineer, Gustave Eiffel. National Historical Institute states that, The Church of
San Sebastian is a declared National Historical Landmark per Presidential Decree No. 260.
State funding was accorded to the church through the National Historical Institute which
undertook restoration of the church since 1982. The Recollect community has likewise
expended funds for the church’s maintenance and restoration.
A ₱4.3 million scientific study in support of the restoration and conservation of the
church located in Quiapo, Manila, has concluded that the gothic structure is suffering from
“heavy corrosion” as a result of “extensive and severe water infiltration,” said architect Tina
Paterno, executive director of the San Sebastian Basilica Conservation and Development
Foundation (Zulueta, 2015).
Chapter IV
Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations
This chapter discussed the summary, conclusions and recommendations of this study.
It also includes the over-all findings of the survey questionnaire and interview guide.
Summary
This study is entitled “Architectural Church Tourism in Manila: The Case of San
Sebastian Church”. It is about architectural church tourism in San Sebastian church. The
purpose and objective of this study is for the people to appreciate the architectural design of
the church and for the church to be included in the itinerary for tours in Manila. This study
will benefit the locals of Manila for it can be a tourism destination in Manila; and for the
people to be interested in architectural church tourism that they will see the church as a place
with good architectural design.
This study identified the perception on the architectural design of the church, aspects
of the architectural design that interest the respondents, parts of the church that interest the
respondents, part of the church that should be given more attention or emphasis by guides
during actual tours, reasons why people go to San Sebastian church, the church to be
included in the itinerary for tours in Manila and recommendations to improve architectural
tourism of San Sebastian church.
This study used a mixed method descriptive design involving qualitative and
quantitative methods. Survey questionnaire and interview guide were used as a research
instruments. This study used a purposive sampling method with an inclusion criterion of
local or foreign tourists that are visiting or attending mass in San Sebastian church. One
hundred (100) respondents are sampled. Three (3) respondents are interviewed who are
working in the parish office.
Conclusions
1. The perceptions of local and foreign tourists on the architectural design of San Sebastian
Church in Quiapo, Manila is unique and attractive.
2. The aspects of the architectural design that interest the tourist is the gothic revival altar,
trompe-l’oeil interior painting, and the rose and stained glass windows.
3. The parts of the church that interests the tourists are the church interior, altar and the
windows.
4. The parts of the church that should be given more attention or emphasis by guides during
actual tours are the church interior, altar and windows.
5. The reasons why people go to San Sebastian church are to attend mass and to pray, and to
see the architectural design of the church.
6. The San Sebastian Church should be included in the itinerary for tours in Manila because
it is unique; it has a good architectural design and a good historical background.
7. The recommendations to improve the architectural tourism of San Sebastian is to repair
and restore the rusting steel base of the church to maintain its beautiful interior design,
and to disseminate information on the significance of San Sebastian Church.
Recommendations
1. The gothic revival altar, trompe-l’oeil church interior, and rose and stained glass windows
should always be kept clean and taken care of because these are the aspects of the
architectural design and parts of the church that interest the respondents, and these are the
parts that the respondents think should be emphasized during actual tours.
2. The church’s rusting steel base should be repaired, restored and preserved because it is
the thing that makes the church unique and extraordinary.
3. The respondents recommended that the tour guides should orient the tourists well so they
won’t destroy any of the church’s property.
4. A respondent recommended for the people to support the fundraising event that the San
Sebastian Basilica Conversation and Development Foundation Inc. are organizing to fund
the restoration of San Sebastian church.
5. I recommend that San Sebastian Church should conduct an information campaign to
promote the significance of San Sebastian Church’s architectural design and structure in
addition to their training program for the locals and their fundraising event.
6. I recommend that the church’s ventilation to be improved because I noticed that it really
gets hot inside the church and all the church goers have to use a hand fan while inside the
church. If there will be a lot of people in the church and it gets really hot inside, people
will have a hard time staying inside the church and enjoying the church’s architectural
design and structure
7. I also recommend that this study should be a basis of a tourism program for tour or travel
agencies. The San Sebastian Church is a church with good architectural design and it is a
masterpiece.
References
Alcazaren P. (2002). Of Steel and Bamboo, Eiffel and I.M. Pei.
Retrieved September 9, 2015 from
http://www.philstar.com/modern-living/163863/steel-and-bamboo-eiffel-andim-pei?nomobile=1
Architecture of Cathedrals and Great Churches. (2015).
Retrieved September 1, 2015 from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_cathedrals_and_great_churches
Architectural Design. (2013). Retrieved September 1, 2015 from
http://www.ask.com/question/what-is-architectural-design
Austria, M. (2008). San Sebastian Church. Retrieved September 19, 2015 from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mjaaustria/2813900077/in/photostream/
Basilica Minore de San Sebastian. (2007). Retrieved September 1, 2015 from
http://www.filipiniana.net:8080/blogsphere/?p=95#more-95
Beshir, V. (n.d.). The Church as a Tourist Attraction.
Retrieved September 1, 2015 from
http://evangelismcopticorthodox.org/images/How_to_Make_Your_Church_a_T
ourist_Attraction.pdf
Burgos Cathedral. (2015). Retrieved September 3, 2015 from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgos_Cathedral
Clay T. D. (2010). A Glossary of Church Architectural Terms.
Retrieved September 3, 2015 from
http://www.cathedralquest.com/GLOSSARY.htm
Conopio, C. (2014). Gothic architecture: Basilica Minore de San Sebastian.
Retrieved September 9, 2015 from http://asianjournal.com/lifestyle/gothicarchitecture-basilica-minore-de-san-sebastian/#sthash.kdSiAyVb.dpuf
De Jesus, F. (n.d.). The San Sebastian Church -- Gustave Eiffel's Church in the
Philippines. Retrieved September 9, 2015 from
http://www.artesdelasfilipinas.com/archives.php?page_id=24
Ducharme, F. (2014). San Sebastian Church in Quiapo, Manila.
Retrieved September 3, 2015 from
http:/c/historicphilippines.com/churches-volume-2/historic-churches-vii/sansebastian-church-in-quiapo/
Duff, A. (2009). Tourism Insights. Unlocking the Potential of Church Tourism.
Retrieved September 3, 2015 from
http://cvta.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/unlockpotential_churchtrsm.pdf
Galende, P. G. (2007). Philippine Church Façade.
Quezon City, Philippines: Vibal Publishing House, Inc.
Gothic Revival architecture. (2015). Retrieved September 3, 2015 from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_Revival_architecture
Jose, R. T. (1990). Images of faith: Religious ivory carvings from the Philippines, 27.
Pasadena, California: Pacific Asia Museum.
Layug, B. L. (2007). A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Churches.
Pasig City, Philippines: New Day Publishers. pp. 87-89.
Martinez, G. (2008). All-Steel San Sebastian Church.
Retrieved September 3, 2015 from
https://traveleronfoot.wordpress.com/2008/01/16/who-designed-the-sansebastian-church/
Pena, J. (2014). Saving Asia’s lone all-steel church. Retrieved September 9, 2015 from
http://www.justjeric.com/2014/04/17/saving-asias-lone-all-steel-church/
Project: San Sebastian Basilica. (n.d.). World Monument Funds.
Retrieved September 3, 2015 from
http://www.wmf.org/project/san-sebastian-basilica
San Sebastian Basilica tagged National Cultural Treasure. (n.d.).
Retrieved September 3, 2015 from http://recoletosfilipinas.org/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=285%3Asan-sebastian-tagged-nationalcultural-treasure&Itemid=57
San Sebastian Church. (2015). Retrieved September 3, 2015 from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Sebastian_Church_(Manila)
San Sebastian Church. (2007). Retrieved September 3, 2015 from
http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php/San_Sebastian_Church
The Philippine Journal of Science. (1919). Institute of Science and Technology, 4, 88.
Manila, Philippines: Bureau of Science.
Tinniswood, A. (1989). A History of Country House Visiting.
Hoboken, New Jersey: Blackwell Publisher.
Trompe l'oeil. (2015). Retrieved September 3, 2015 from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trompe-l%27%C5%93il
UNESCO (2006). Tentative list for the world heritage list. World Heritage: San
Sebastian Church. Retrieved September 3, 2015 from
http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/518/
Yang, J. (2011). San Sebastian Chuch. Retrieved September 19, 2015 from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pianoforte/5477493209/in/photostream/
Zulueta, L. B. (2015). Rust Corroding All-steel San Sebastian Church.
Retrieved September 9, 2015 from
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/185240/rust-corroding-all-steel-san-sebastian-church
Appendix A
Letter of Approval
September 5, 2015
Fr. Antonio C. Zabala, Jr., OAR
Parish Priest of the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian
Dear Fr. Antonio C. Zabala, Jr., OAR,
Paulinian Greetings!
I am a fourth year student from St. Paul University Quezon City taking up Bachelor
of Science in Tourism Management. I would like to request an interview with you and your
employees regarding our thesis entitled “Architectural Church Tourism in Manila: The Case
of San Sebastian Church”.
Attached is our interview guide.
Thank you very much and God Bless you!
Sincerely yours,
Noted:
Antonette C. Enriquez (Sgd)
Dr. Adrian Carvajal (Sgd)
Contact number: 09163055655
Thesis Adviser
Appendix B
Survey Questionnaire
I, Antonette C. Enriquez, am conducting a study entitled, “Architectural Church
Tourism in Manila: The Case of San Sebastian Church”. This is in compliance with the
requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management in Saint Paul University
Quezon City.
Your support in answering this questionnaire below will be highly appreciated. Rest assured
that all information given is treated with strictest confidentiality.
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Instruction: Please answer the following questions honestly.
Name (optional):
Age:
_____local tourist
Gender:
_____foreign tourist
1. What is your perception on the architectural design of San Sebastian church in Quiapo,
Manila? (Please check only one)
_____attractive
_____unappealing
_____unique
_____antique
_____interesting
others:__________
2. What aspects of the architectural design interest you? (Check as many as you want)
_____carved wood confessionals
_____crystal chandeliers
_____gothic revival altar
_____groined vault ceiling
_____highly ornate pulpit
_____ murals w/in dome’s tholobate
_____prefabricated steel base
_____ rose and stained glass windows
_____trompe-l’oeil interior painting
others: ____________________
3. Which part of the church interest you? (Check as many as you want)
_____altar
_____ceiling
_____ church interior
_____choir loft
_____Façade
_____nave
_____steel base
_____windows
others:_____________
4. Which part of the church should be given more attention or emphasis by guides during
actual tours? (Check as many as you want)
_____altar
_____ceiling
_____ church interior
_____choir loft
_____Façade
_____nave
_____steel base
_____windows
_____statues
others: __________________
5. What are the reasons why you visit San Sebastian church? (Check as many as you
want)
_____architectural design
_____ historical background
_____to attend holy mass/pray
_____Part of the tour
others: __________________
Appendix C
Interview Guide
1. Do you think that the San Sebastian church should be included in the itinerary for tours
in Manila? Why?
2. What are your recommendations to improve architectural tourism of San Sebastian
church?
Appendix E
Coding Sheet
Questions
1. Do you think that San
Sebastian church should be
Answers:
Rev. Fr. Antonio C. Zabala, Jr., OAR
-
Yes, it must be included, especially on
included in the itinerary for
educational tours, for the church to be more
tours in Manila? Why?
famous particularly in its historical
background and its architectural design. And
this church is unique and really beautiful;
people should really see the church.
Maria Carissa Veloso
-
It should be included in the tour itineraries in
Manila, so more people would see the only
all-steel church in the Philippines. And isang
National Historical Landmark ang San
Sebastian church and it was once nominated
to be a World Heritage Site.
Hermano Viado
-
Oo, kasi isa itong simbahang ito na nanatili
ang orihinal na istraktura. Yung ibang
simbahan pag tinignan mo yung mga itsura
noon, iba na sa ngayong itsura neto. Tsaka
kakaiba nga itong simbahan kaya dapat
marami pa ang makakita nito.
2. What are your
recommendations to
Rev. Fr. Antonio C. Zabala, Jr., OAR
-
The church’s base needs to be repaired and
improve architectural
restored. As you can see, some of the
tourism of San Sebastian
columns of the church are already rusting,
church?
even the walls. The church should be taken
care of to maintain its beauty.
Maria Carissa Veloso
-
As of now, San Sebastian Basilica
Conversation and Development Foundation
Inc. is organizing a fundraising event to fund
the restoration of the church and I really
recommend that people will support this
event. We are also training locals to give
tours to tourists in San Sebastian so more
people will see its beauty, and so they would
know the history behind this church.
Because some parishioners don’t know the
significance of San Sebastian Church.
Hermano Viado
-
Sana maipaayos na yung mga kinakalawang
na bakal ng simbahan para hindi masira yung
ganda nito tska para lalong tumagal pa ang
San Sebastian mas marami pa ang
makapunta at makakita nito.
Appendix F
Pictures
San Sebastian Church – Façade (San Sebastian Church, 2015)
Figure 2
Catedral de Burgos (Burgos, Spain) – Façade (Burgos Cathedral, 2015)
Figure 3
San Sebastian church interior (Yang, 2011)
Figure 4
Gothic revival altar of San Sebastian church (Austria, 2008)
Figure 5
Trompe-l’oeil interior painting (Yang, 2011)
Figure 6.1
Trompe-l’oeil interior painting (Yang, 2011)
Figure 6.2
Rose and stained glass window (Yang, 2011)
Figure 7
Appendix G
Curriculum Vitae
Name: Antonette C. Enriquez
Age: 22 years old
Date of birth:December 2, 1992
Contact number: 09163055655
E-mail address: [email protected]
Residence: #65 San Manuel St., Brgy. Rivera, San Juan City
Parents:
Albert T. Enriquez
Antonia C. Enriquez
Course: Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management
Chapter I
The Problem and Review of Related Literature
Introduction
One of the most famous beautiful and historical churches in Manila is the San
Sebastian Church, also known as the Basilica Menor de San Sebastian. It is made popular by
being the only all-steel church in the Philippines and some say in Asia. However, there are
more aspects of the architectural design that San Sebastian Church has to offer.
According to Galende (2007), the Basilica Minore de San Sebastian is a fine
representative of the Gothic revival in the Philippines. The basilica is mixed with 19thcentury innovations in church construction, architecture, and art. It takes pride as the only allsteel basilica in the world.
Upon entering the door, the vast interior, warmly lit crystal chandeliers and light
entering from the church doors radiate a warm feel. On the sides, the animated colors of the
stained glass windows are truly remarkable. These were said to be directly imported from a
German steel glass firm, Henri Oidtmann Company (Conopio, 2014).
The walls of the church were a mix of sand, gravel and cement. The interior of the
basilica are made of exquisite groined vaults, a true Gothic architecture-style. Confessionals,
pulpit, altars and retablos represent fine Gothic revival, which were headed and designed by
Professors from the Academia d Pintura y Dibuja, Lorenzo Rocha and Lorenzo Guerrero. The
vaults display intricate trompe l’oeil paintings of saints and several religious figures, an art
approach where the images create optical illusions. Together with their students, they
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Saint Paul University Quezon City
decorated and painted the columns, walls and ceiling which exude marble and jasper
appearance. The central part of the church (commonly called the nave in Gothic Christian
architecture) where the main high altar is located, rises to a height of twelve meters from the
floor to the dome while measuring thirty-two meters to the tip of the spires. Beautiful spiral
staircases on the side of the church’s main entrance lead to the belfries and the choir loft
where a beautiful pipe organ is found (Conopio, 2014).
Conopio (2014) also said that the magnificent interior of the church is graced by the
image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a gift given by the Carmelite sisters from Mexico,
which is enshrined atop the marvelous altar. Throughout the natural occurrences and previous
restorations, the image had survived; however its original ivory head was stolen some 38
years ago.
According to Conopio (2014), with these significant elements, San Sebastian Church is
indeed the Philippines’ treasure to behold. In general, the basilica remains its beauty and is
still preserved. Apart from being a special architectural and historical interest, its splendor
and warmth have placed it among the most beloved wedding churches in Manila.
Thus, the intention of the paper is to promote the architectural design of San Sebastian
Church to local and foreign tourists and for the church to become a church tourism in Manila.
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Saint Paul University Quezon City
Review of Related Literature
a. Architectural Church Tourism
Beshir (n.d.) stated that the idea of using a church as a tourist attraction is well known
in many parts of the world. For example, In Paris, tourists visit the Notre Dame Church. In
Egypt, tourists don’t visit just the Pyramids; they also visit the old churches in Old Cairo, the
old monasteries, and the new Cathedral in Cairo. In Washington, D.C., tourists make trips to
the National Cathedral and the Catholic Basilica of the National Shrine, in the Catholic
University campus. People like to visit “Tourist attractions” as long as they find something
beneficial or attractive for them, either historical, or cultural or artistic, just to mention a few.
Tinniswood (1989) stated that the activity of seeking out and visiting a building simply
for the opportunity of seeing and enjoying it rather than for any other purpose. This pastime
has grown enormously in popularity over the last 80 years, and particularly since the 1940s,
when the stately home business began in earnest.
Whilst many people visit churches with some spiritual inclination, it is also clear that
visitors do not need to be ‘believers’ to enjoy exploring the cultural assets and associations
represented by churches. As Simon Jenkins asserts, “A church is more than a place of
denominational worship. It is the stage upon which pageant of community has been played
out for a millennium” and, “these churches were, and still are glorious… a dispersed gallery
of vernacular art… without equal anywhere in the world” (Duff, 2009).
The architecture of cathedrals, basilicas and abbey churches is characterised by the
buildings' large scale and follows one of several branching traditions of form, function and
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Saint Paul University Quezon City
style that all ultimately derive from the Early Christian architectural traditions established in
the Constantinian period (Architecture of cathedrals and great churches, 2015).
The term basilica, when applied to a church, may be used in two ways. In architectural
parlance, it signifies a building that has similarities to the basilica structures of Ancient
Rome, being of longitudinal rather than central plan, having a central nave with an aisle on
either side separated by a colonnade, and an apse at one end.In the ecclesiastical sense, a
basilica is a church that has been designated as such by the pope, and has accordingly
received certain privileges. A building that is designated as a basilica might be a cathedral, an
abbey, a shrine or a parish church (Architecture of cathedrals and great churches, 2015).
b. The San Sebastian Church
The Basílica Menor de San Sebastián, better known as San Sebastian Church, is
a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Manila, Philippines and the seat of the Parish of San
Sebastian (San Sebastian Church, 2015).
Completed in 1891, San Sebastian Church is noted for its architectural features. An
example of the revival of Gothic architecture in the Philippines, it is the only all-steel temple
in the Philippines, and as the only prefabricated steel church in the world. In 2006, San
Sebastian Church was included in the Tentative List for possible designation as a World
Heritage Site. It was designated as a National Historical Landmark by the Philippine
government in 1973 (San Sebastian Church, 2015).
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Saint Paul University Quezon City
San Sebastian Church is under the care of The Order of the Augustinian Recollects,
who also operate a college adjacent to the basilica. It is located at Plaza del Carmen, at the
eastern end of Recto Avenue, in Quiapo, Manila (San Sebastian Church, 2015).
According to Layug (2007), in 1621, Bernardino Castillo, a generous patron and a
devotee of the 3rd-century Roman martyr Saint Sebastian, donated the land upon which the
church stands. The original structure, made of wood, burned in 1651 during a Chinese
uprising. Succeeding structures, which were built of brick, were destroyed by fire and
earthquakes in 1859, 1863, and 1880 respectively.
In the 1880s, Esteban Martínez, the parish priest of the ruined church, approached the
Spanish architect Genaro Palacios, with a plan to build a fire and earthquake-resistant
structure made entirely of steel. Palacios completed a design that fused Earthquake
Baroque with the Neo-Gothic style. His final design was said to have been inspired by the
famed Gothic Burgos Cathedral in Burgos, Spain (Layug, 2007).
De Jesus (n.d.) stated that two Belgian engineers supervised the construction of the
church. On June 12, 1888, the first shipments of steel parts were brought to the Philippines.
For two years, the church was assembled with local artists and craftsmen joining the Belgian
firm in applying the final finishing touches on this new church of steel. The stained glass
windows were imported from the Henri Oidtmann Company, a German stained glass firm.
The engineering technique used in the construction of the church, including metal fixtures
and the overall structure, were from Gustave Eiffel, the creator of the Eiffel Tower. This was
confirmed when Chinese-American architect, I. M. Pei, visited the Philippines in the late
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Saint Paul University Quezon City
70’s. He came to confirm what he heard about Gustave Eiffel designing a steel church in
Asia.
The Church of San Sebastian was raised to the status of a minor basilica by Pope Leo
XIII on June 24, 1890. The following year, on August 15, 1891, the all-steel church of San
Sebastian was inaugurated and blessed. The interior of the church displays groined vaults, a
characteristic of Gothic architecture. The columns, walls and ceiling were painted by Filipino
artist Lorenzo Rocha and his students resembling marble and jasper. True to the Gothic
revival spirit of the church are its confessionals, pulpit and altars as designed by Filipino
artist Lorenzo Guerrero. He, with fellow artist Eulogio Garcia, carved the statues of holy men
and women. Trompe l'oeil paintings were used to decorate the interiors of the church
(Basilica Minore de San Sebastian, 2007).
San
Sebastian
Church
was
a
declared
National
Historical
Landmark
by President Ferdinand Marcos through Presidential Decree No. 260 in 1973. State funding
was accorded to the church through the National Historical Institute which undertook
restoration in 1982. The Recollect community has likewise expended funds for the church's
maintenance and restoration (UNESCO, 2006).
c.Architectural design and structure of San Sebastian Church
The Basilica Minore de San Sebastian is a fine representative of the Gothic revival in
the Philippines. The basilica is mixed with 19th-century innovations in church construction,
architecture, and art. It takes pride as the only all-steel basilica in the world. The church is
under the administration of The Order of the Augustinian Recollects, located at Legarda St.
Quiapo, Manila (San Sebastian Church, 2007).
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Saint Paul University Quezon City
According to Ducharme (2014), it has been said that Eiffel, the engineer behind
the Eiffel Tower and the steel structure within the Statue of Liberty was involved in the
design and construction of San Sebastian Church.
The connection between Eiffel and San Sebastian Church was reportedly confirmed by
Philippine historian Ambeth Ocampo while doing research in Paris. Ocampo published a
report stating that the prominent architect I.M. Pei had visited Manila in the 1970s to confirm
reports he had heard that Eiffel had designed an all-steel church in Asia (Ducharme, 2014).
Ducharme (2014) said that when Pei inspected San Sebastián Church, he reportedly
pronounced that the metal fixtures and overall structure were indeed designed by Eiffel. The
official catalogues of Eiffel make definite reference to the design and exportation of a church
in Manila in 1875, thirteen years before construction of San Sebastian Church actually
began. If true, this would still not preclude the possibility that Eiffel had designed the metal
structure of the church, with Palacios completing the actual design work.
Martinez (2008) mentioned that the prefabricated steel parts were manufactured in the
Societe Anonime des Enterprises de Travaux Publiques in Brussels, Belgium and were
delivered to Manila using six ships. For two years, the church was assembled like Lego™.
Local artists and craftsmen joined the Belgian firm in applying the finishing touches on the
new church. The interior of the church resembles that of gothic churches in Europe. Although
it is Gothic in design, the church is less extravagant than it might have been had it been built
on stone. There are no flying buttresses or gargoyles. Trompe l’oeil painting was used to
decorate the church’s interior and the crossed vaults on the ceiling, along with walls and
column were painted to resemble marble and jasper. European-made decorative iron
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Saint Paul University Quezon City
mouldings were also used. Figures of saints, most of them painted directly of the iron walls
are uniformly high quality. The work was done by Filipino artist Lorenzo Rocha and his
students. The only pieces that are made of wood are the exquisitely carved confessionals, the
highly ornate pulpit and altars. These were designed by Filipino artist Lorenzo Guerrero.
Eulogio Garcia carved the statues of holy men and women. The stained glass windows were
imported from Henri Oidtmann Company of Germany.
San Sebation was constructed of 1,527 tons of steel manufactured in Binche,
Belgium, in 1886 and assembled over the course of two years by local craftsmen. The
interior, designed by the school of Lorenzo Rocha, is decorated by an elaborate painted
program: faux jasper and marble, and trompe l’oeils of angles, saints, medallions, and coats
of arms. There are 34 painted glass windows, all imported from the Henri Oidtmann
Company of Germany (Project: San Sebastian Basilica, n.d.).
San Sebastian Church has two openwork towers and steel vaulting. From its floor, the
basilica's nave rises 12 meters (39 ft) to the dome, and 32 meters (105 ft) to the tip of the
twin spires (Layug, 2007).
The faux finished interior of the church incorporates groined vaults in the Gothic
architecture style permitting very ample illumination from lateral windows. The
steel columns, walls and ceiling were painted by Lorenzo Rocha, Isabelo Tampingco and
Félix Martínez to give the appearance of marble and jasper. Trompe l'oeil paintings of saints
and martyrs by Rocha were used to decorate the interiors of the church (San Sebastian
Basilica tagged National Cultural Treasure, n.d.).
8
Saint Paul University Quezon City
True to the Gothic revival spirit of the church are its confessionals, pulpit, altars and
five retablos designed by Lorenzo Guerrero and Rocha (Jose, 1990). The sculptor Eusebio
Garcia carved the statues of holy men and women. Six holy water fonts were constructed for
the church, each crafted from marble obtained from Romblon (Institute of Science and
Technology, 1919).
Above the main altar is an image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, given to the church
by Carmelite sisters from Mexico City in 1617. The image withstood all the earthquakes and
fires which had destroyed previous incarnations of San Sebastian Church, but its ivory head
was stolen in 1975 (Layug, 2007).
According to Pena (2014), while the all-steel structure still proudly stands in the
Philippine capital today, the harsh tropical climate threatens the very existence of the basilica
that was declared as a national historical landmark in 1973. A closer inspection of the basilica
would reveal that rust is slowly taking over some portions of this edifice—from the columns
and even the doors. Rain water seeping into the structure has even corroded critical areas of
the church’s dome and belfry. In 2013, a technical team discovered more than 300 leaks
within the church. Unfortunately, the sources of some leaks are still unknown. The
environmental condition in the area also led to deterioration of its interior finishes including
the trompe l’oeil paintings of various holy men and women.
9
Saint Paul University Quezon City
Synthesis of Related Literature
According to the experts in this field, San Sebastian Church takes pride as the only
all-steel basilica in the Philippines, and as the only prefabricated steel church in the world. It
is a unique basilica, one of the creations of Gustave Eiffel, and it was designated as a
National Historical Landmark by the National Museum and the Philippine government.
These are the ideas of Ducharme (2014), Martinez (2008) and Alcazaren (2002).
According to Ducharme (2014), the connection between Eiffel and San Sebastian Church
was reportedly confirmed by Philippine historian Ambeth Ocampo while doing research
in Paris. Ocampo published a report stating that the prominent architect I.M. Pei had visited
Manila in the 1970s to confirm reports he had heard that Eiffel had designed an all-steel
church in Asia. When Pei inspected San Sebastián Church, he reportedly pronounced that the
metal fixtures and overall structure were indeed designed by Eiffel. The official catalogues of
Eiffel make definite reference to the design and exportation of a church in Manila in 1875,
thirteen years before construction of San Sebastian Church actually began. If true, this would
still not preclude the possibility that Eiffel had designed the metal structure of the church,
with Palacios completing the actual design work.
Martinez (2008) stated that, for years, many have declared that the church was
designed by monsieur Eiffel himself, however there were no known document (building
permit?) that supports that claim. A Chinese-American, I.M. Pei visited the Philippines in the
late 70’s confirmed after inspecting the church that the metal works and the overall structure
were no less designed by Gustave Eiffel. Ambeth Ocampo discovered information in Europe
proving that Eiffel’s steel engineering firm’s participation in the building of church.
10
Saint Paul University Quezon City
However, the discovery of Ocampo did not say that Eiffel was the architect of the San
Sebastian Church. Thus, the closes connection of Eiffel with San Sebastian Church could be
his ideas behind the innovative use of steel that was incorporated to the building of the
church and that he was working as a structural engineer for the Belgian firm where the metal
parts of the church was manufactured.
While Alcazaren (2002) said that the Philippine Institute of Architects (PIA) feature
differs from the official National Historical Institute (NHI) and other reports in that it credits
Gustave Eiffel for the design of San Sebastian, saying that: "Records at the Libraries of
Congress in Washington and of Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris attest that Eiffel designed
a knock-down all-steel church for the Philippines." It is also reported that the Library of
Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris has Eiffel’s biography and catalogue of complete works,
which include "one church in Manila, Philippines, 1875." The dates from the NHI and PIA
accounts seem not to tally but nearby bridges could give some clues to the conundrum. The
Ayala Bridge is credited to Gustave Eiffel’s company but the date accorded is 1872. It may
have been that both the Colgante and the Ayala bridges were originally designed by Gabaud
but that Eiffel was called in to repair the bridge after it was found weakened (by an
earthquake probably) in 1888. This was the same time that the San Sebastian was being built.
11
Saint Paul University Quezon City
Conceptual Framework
12
Figure 1
Paradigm of the Study
Figure 1 shows the input, process and output model. The inputs are the respondents’
perceptions whether local or foreign tourists on the architectural design of San Sebastian
Church in Quiapo, Manila, the aspects of the architectural design that interest the tourists,
part of the church that interest the tourists, part of the church that that should be given more
attention or emphasis by guides during actual tours, reasons why people go to San Sebastian
church, and information about the architectural church tourism, history of San Sebastian
church and architectural design and structure of the church which is in accordance with the
statement of the problem and review of the related literature. The processes are survey
questionnaire and interview guide. The outputs are the architectural church tourism in San
Sebastian church in Quiapo, Manila, the church to be included in the itinerary for tours in
Manila and other recommendations given by the respondents.
Statement of the Problem
The study determined the architectural church tourism in Manila in the case of San
Sebastian Church in Quiapo, Manila. Specifically, the study answered the following
questions:
1. What are the perceptions’ of local and foreign tourists on the architectural design of San
Sebastian Church in Quiapo, Manila?
2. What aspects of the architectural design interest the tourists?
3. Which parts of the church interest the tourists?
4. What parts of the church should be given more attention or emphasis by guides during
actual tours?
5. What are the reasons why people go to San Sebastian Church?
6. Do you think that the San Sebastian Church should be included in the itinerary for tours
in Manila?
7. What are your recommendations to improve architectural church tourism of San
Sebastian Church?
Significance of the Study
The importance and purpose of this study is to promote the architectural design of
San Sebastian Church located in Quiapo, Manila to local and foreign tourists and the church
to become a church tourism in Manila. Its purpose is for the people to appreciate the good
works and architectural design of the church. This study helps and benefits the society not
only to the locals of Manila but to the whole Philippines as well.
Scope and Limitations
The scope of this study is the church of San Sebastian in Quiapo, Manila that has a
good architectural design. This study covers the perception of the respondents to the
architectural design of the church, part of the church that interest the tourists, aspects of
architectural design and part of the church that interest the tourists, part of the church that
should be given more emphasis by guides during actual tours, reasons why people go to San
Sebastian Church, the church to be included in the itinerary for tours in Manila, and
recommendations to improve architectural church tourism of San Sebastian Church.
This study used a purposive sampling method with an inclusion criterion of local or
foreign tourists that are visiting or attending mass in San Sebastian church. One hundred
(100) respondents are sampled. Three (3) respondents are interviewed who are working in the
parish office.
Definition of Terms
The following terms are defined operationally for better understanding of the readers
and arranged by significance:
Architectural Church Tourism – It refers to visiting and seeing the architectural design and
structure of the churches as a tourism activity.
San Sebastian Church – Also known as the Basílica Menor de San Sebastián, is a Roman
Catholic minor basilica in Manila, Philippines and the seat of the Parish of San Sebastian. It
is noted for its architectural features. It is an example of Gothic revival architecture and it is
the only all-steel temple in the Philippines, and as the only prefabricated steel church in the
world (San Sebastian Church, 2015).
Architectural design – A technique, form or a stylistic representation that is used by
architects in classification of their work. They may include the various aspects of cultural
contexts and construction (Architectural Design, 2013).
Perception- this refers to the perceptions’ of local and foreign tourists on the architectural
design of San Sebastian Church.
Gothic revival architecture – (also referred to as Neo-Gothic) is an architectural
movement that began in the late 1740s in England. Gothic Revival draws features from the
original Gothic style, including decorative patterns, finials, scalloping, lancet windows, hood
mouldings, and label stops (Gothic Revival architecture, 2015).
Vault – The ceiling of a church formed of concrete, stone in mortar or brick in mortar
forming a continuous semicircular or pointed arch (Clay, 2010).
Nave – The area of a church between the façade and crossing or choir, specifically, the
central area between the aisles (Clay, 2010).
Rose Window – A round window, with tracery dividing it into sections, called petals (Clay,
2010).
Trompe l'oeil – An art technique that uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that
the depicted objects exist in three dimensions (Trompe l'oeil, 2015).
Tholobate - in architecture, is the upright part of a building on which a dome is raised. It is
generally in the shape of a cylinder or a polygonal prism.
Chapter II
Methodology
This chapter represents the research methodology used by the researcher. Parts of
these are the research design, the respondents, the research instrument, the data gathering
procedure and the data analysis.
Research Design
This study used a mixed method descriptive design involving qualitative and
quantitative methods. Survey questionnaire and interview guide were used as a research
instruments.
Respondents
This study used a purposive sampling method with an inclusion criterion of local or
foreign tourists that are visiting or attending mass in San Sebastian church. One hundred
(100) respondents are sampled. Three (3) respondents are interviewed who are working in the
parish office.
Research Instruments
The researcher used a survey questionnaire and interview guide which is in
accordance with the statement of the problem. It has the following parts: the first part of the
survey questionnaire is the respondents’ perceptions on the architectural design of San
Sebastian Church in Quiapo, Manila. The second part of the survey questionnaire is the
aspects of the architectural design that interest the tourists. The third part of the survey
questionnaire is the parts of the church that interests the tourists. The fourth part of the survey
questionnaire is the parts of the church that should be given more attention or emphasis by
guides during actual tours and the fifth part of the survey questionnaire is the reasons why
people go to San Sebastian church. The first part of the interview guide is the church to be
included in the itinerary for tours in Manila, and the second part of the interview guide is the
recommendations to improve architectural church tourism of San Sebastian church.
Data Gathering Procedure
The researcher visited the library to look for books and search the internet for some
related literatures that could help the study. The researcher constructed a survey questionnaire
and interview guide to gather data and information needed for the study. The researcher
identified the respondents that will answer their questions correctly. The respondents are
local and foreign tourists that are visiting or attending mass in San Sebastian Church and
people who are working in the parish office. The researcher conducted a survey and an
interview and tabulated the results. After the survey and the interview, the researcher
interpreted the data.
Data Analysis
After the floating of survey questionnaire and interview guide, the survey
questionnaire and interview guide are retrieved. I tabulated the results and use proper
statistics. The first part of the statement of the problem is the respondents’ perceptions on the
architectural design of San Sebastian church in Quiapo, Manila, frequency and percentage
are used. The second part is the aspects of architectural design that interests the tourists,
frequency and percentage are used. The third part is the part of the church that interests the
tourists, frequency and percentage are used. The fourth part is the part of the church that
should be given more attention or emphasis by guides during actual tours, frequency and
percentage is also used. The fifth part is the reasons why people go to San Sebastian church,
frequency and percentage are used. The sixth part is the church to be included in the itinerary
for tours in Manila, thematic analysis is used. The seventh part is the recommendations to
improve architectural tourism of San Sebastian church, thematic analysis is used.
Chapter III
Results and Discussion
In this chapter, the researcher evaluates the results of the collected data and these
results were presented, analyzed and summarized. The results and discussion were gathered
through survey questionnaire and interview guide. The results of these findings were
illustrated through tables to give a better understanding of the findings.
Results
Table 1
Perception on the architectural design of San Sebastian church in Quiapo, Manila
f
%
r
Unique
41
41
1
Attractive
38
38
2
Antique
13
13
3
Interesting
6
6
4
Unappealing
2
2
5
Table 1 present the label that 41 or 41% of the respondents perceived that their
perception on the architectural design of San Sebastian Church in Quiapo, Manila is unique.
The 38 or 38% of the respondents perceived that the church is attractive. 13 or 13% of the
respondents perceived that the church is antique. The 6 or 6% of the respondents perceived
that the church is interesting. While the 2 or 2% of the respondents perceived that the church
is unappealing.
Table 2
Aspects of the architectural design that interest the respondents
f
%
r
Gothic revival altar
98
98
1
Trompe-l'oeil interior painting
96
96
2
Rose and stained glass windows
89
89
3
Prefabricated steel base
87
87
4
Groined vault ceiling
87
87
4
Murals within dome's tholobate
77
77
5
Highly ornate pulpit
64
64
6
Crystal chandeliers
32
32
7
Carved wood confessionals
3
3
8
Table 2 present the label that 98 or 98% of the respondents said that the aspects of the
architectural design that interest them is the Gothic revival altar. The 96 or 96% of the
respondents said that it is the trompe-l’oeil interior paintings. The 89 or 89% of the
respondents said that it is the rose and stained glass windows. The 87 or 87% of the
respondents said that it is the groined vault ceiling and the prefabricated steel base. The 77 or
77% of the respondents said that it is the murals within the dome’s tholobate. The 64 or 64%
of the respondents said that it is the highly ornate pulpit. The 32 or 32% of the respondents
said that it is the crystal chandeliers and 3 or 3% of the respondents said that it is the carved
wood confessionals.
Table 3
Parts of the church that interest the respondents
f
%
r
Altar
98
98
1
Church interior
96
96
2
Windows
89
89
3
Ceiling
77
77
4
Steel base
71
71
5
Façade
27
27
6
Choir Loft
6
6
7
Nave
5
5
8
Table 3 present the label that 98 or 98% of the respondents said that the part of the
church that interest them is the altar. The 96 or 96% of the respondents said that it is the
church interior. The 89 or 89% of the respondents said that it is the windows. The 77 or 77%
of the respondents said that it is the ceiling. The 71 or 71% of the respondents said that it is
the steel base. The 27 or 27% of the respondents said that it is the façade. The 6 or 6% of the
respondents said that it is the choir loft and the 5 or 5% of the respondents said that it is the
nave.
Table 4
Parts of the church that should be given more attention or emphasis by guides during actual
tours
f
%
r
Church interior
98
98
1
Altar
96
96
2
Windows
89
89
3
Ceiling
77
77
4
Façade
51
51
5
Statues
27
27
6
Table 4 present the label that 98 or 98% of the respondents said that the part of the
church that should be given more attention or emphasis by guides during actual tours is the
church interior. The 96 or 96% of the respondents said that it is the altar. The 89 or 89% of
the respondents said that it is the windows. The 77 or 77% of the respondents said that it is
the ceiling. The 51 or 51% of the respondents said that it is the façade and the 27 or 27% of
the respondents said that it is the statues.
Table 5
Reasons why people go to San Sebastian church
F
%
r
To attend holy mass and pray
96
96
1
To see its architectural design
74
74
2
Because of its historical background
39
39
3
It is part of the tour itinerary
18
18
4
Others: 1. Weddings
5
5
5
Table 5 present the label that 96 or 96% of the respondents said that the reason why
people go to San Sebastian church is to attend holy mass or to pray. The 74 or 74% of the
respondents said that it is to see the architectural design of San Sebastian church. The 39 or
39% of the respondents said that it is because of the church’s historical background which
pertains to the San Sebastian Church being a National Historical Landmark, being nominated
as a World Heritage Site in 2006 and being one of the very few churches that retain its
original structure. The 18 or 18% of the respondents said that it is part of the tour itinerary
and the 5 or 5% of the respondents said that it is because of weddings.
Results of Interview Guide
San Sebastian Church to be included in the itinerary for tours in Manila
The respondents said that San Sebastian church should be included in the itinerary for
tours in Manila. They said that people should see and witness the only all-steel church in the
Philippines. They also said that San Sebastian church should be included in tours in Manila
because it is designated as a National Historical Landmark and it was nominated as a World
Heritage Site in 2006. One of the respondents said that San Sebastian is one of the few
churches that retain its original structure that’s why it should be included in the tour itinerary.
Recommendations to improve architectural church tourism of San Sebastian church
Two of the respondents recommended that the rusting part of the church to be repaired,
restored and taken care of so that it would not ruin the beauty of the church. The other
respondent said that the San Sebastian Basilica Conversation and Development Foundation
Inc. are organizing a fundraising event to help in restoration of San Sebastian church and the
respondent is recommending that many people should support the event. The parish is
training locals on how to tour tourists in San Sebastian church to showcase its extraordinary
structure and its historical background. The respondents also recommended that the tour
guides orient the tourists well so they won’t destroy any of the church’s property.
Discussion
Based on the results, the researcher found out that the respondents’ perceptions on the
architectural design of San Sebastian Church are unique and attractive. The aspects of the
architectural design that interest them are the gothic revival altar, the trompe-l’oeil interior
painting and the rose and stained glass windows of San Sebastian Church. The parts of the
church that interest them are the altar, church interior and windows. The parts of the church
that should be given more attention or emphasis by guides during actual tours are the church
interior, altar and windows; and the reasons why people go to San Sebastian Church are to
attend mass and to pray, and to see its architectural design.
The respondents supposed that the San Sebastian church should be included in the
itinerary for tours in Manila because of its architectural design and historical background of
the church. The respondents also said that San Sebastian Church, the all-steel church, needs
to be repaired and restored to retain its beauty and to prevent the church from total
destruction.
The themes that are identified in our interview such as the San Sebastian church is the
only all-steel church in the Philippines, included in the Tentative List as a possible World
Heritage Site in 2006, designated as a National Historical Landmark, has good architectural
design and the church should be repaired and restored are supported by Layug (2007),
Conopio (2014), Martinez (2008) and Zulueta (2015).
Conopio (2014) stated that one of the historical churches in Manila that exudes great
beauty and architecture is located in Quiapo, Manila. The light blue-green basilica that stands
in the busy end of Claro M. Recto Street doesn’t entirely give off an ancient feel; however, its
color emphasizes its striking features – two open towers with pyramidal spires, louvered
windows and an intricately designed rose window, which indicate a particular uniqueness of
the church’s architectural background.
According to Layug (2007), the San Sebastian Church had been named a National
Historical Landmark by the Philippine government in 1973. In 2006, San Sebastian Church
was included in the Tentative List as a possible World Heritage Site.
According to Martinez (2008), standing majestically on Plaza Del Carmen
surrounded by rows of old houses in Quiapo is a structure having connections with the world
famous artist-engineer, Gustave Eiffel. National Historical Institute states that, The Church of
San Sebastian is a declared National Historical Landmark per Presidential Decree No. 260.
State funding was accorded to the church through the National Historical Institute which
undertook restoration of the church since 1982. The Recollect community has likewise
expended funds for the church’s maintenance and restoration.
A ₱4.3 million scientific study in support of the restoration and conservation of the
church located in Quiapo, Manila, has concluded that the gothic structure is suffering from
“heavy corrosion” as a result of “extensive and severe water infiltration,” said architect Tina
Paterno, executive director of the San Sebastian Basilica Conservation and Development
Foundation (Zulueta, 2015).
Chapter IV
Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations
This chapter discussed the summary, conclusions and recommendations of this study.
It also includes the over-all findings of the survey questionnaire and interview guide.
Summary
This study is entitled “Architectural Church Tourism in Manila: The Case of San
Sebastian Church”. It is about architectural church tourism in San Sebastian church. The
purpose and objective of this study is for the people to appreciate the architectural design of
the church and for the church to be included in the itinerary for tours in Manila. This study
will benefit the locals of Manila for it can be a tourism destination in Manila; and for the
people to be interested in architectural church tourism that they will see the church as a place
with good architectural design.
This study identified the perception on the architectural design of the church, aspects
of the architectural design that interest the respondents, parts of the church that interest the
respondents, part of the church that should be given more attention or emphasis by guides
during actual tours, reasons why people go to San Sebastian church, the church to be
included in the itinerary for tours in Manila and recommendations to improve architectural
tourism of San Sebastian church.
This study used a mixed method descriptive design involving qualitative and
quantitative methods. Survey questionnaire and interview guide were used as a research
instruments. This study used a purposive sampling method with an inclusion criterion of
local or foreign tourists that are visiting or attending mass in San Sebastian church. One
hundred (100) respondents are sampled. Three (3) respondents are interviewed who are
working in the parish office.
Conclusions
1. The perceptions of local and foreign tourists on the architectural design of San Sebastian
Church in Quiapo, Manila is unique and attractive.
2. The aspects of the architectural design that interest the tourist is the gothic revival altar,
trompe-l’oeil interior painting, and the rose and stained glass windows.
3. The parts of the church that interests the tourists are the church interior, altar and the
windows.
4. The parts of the church that should be given more attention or emphasis by guides during
actual tours are the church interior, altar and windows.
5. The reasons why people go to San Sebastian church are to attend mass and to pray, and to
see the architectural design of the church.
6. The San Sebastian Church should be included in the itinerary for tours in Manila because
it is unique; it has a good architectural design and a good historical background.
7. The recommendations to improve the architectural tourism of San Sebastian is to repair
and restore the rusting steel base of the church to maintain its beautiful interior design,
and to disseminate information on the significance of San Sebastian Church.
Recommendations
1. The gothic revival altar, trompe-l’oeil church interior, and rose and stained glass windows
should always be kept clean and taken care of because these are the aspects of the
architectural design and parts of the church that interest the respondents, and these are the
parts that the respondents think should be emphasized during actual tours.
2. The church’s rusting steel base should be repaired, restored and preserved because it is
the thing that makes the church unique and extraordinary.
3. The respondents recommended that the tour guides should orient the tourists well so they
won’t destroy any of the church’s property.
4. A respondent recommended for the people to support the fundraising event that the San
Sebastian Basilica Conversation and Development Foundation Inc. are organizing to fund
the restoration of San Sebastian church.
5. I recommend that San Sebastian Church should conduct an information campaign to
promote the significance of San Sebastian Church’s architectural design and structure in
addition to their training program for the locals and their fundraising event.
6. I recommend that the church’s ventilation to be improved because I noticed that it really
gets hot inside the church and all the church goers have to use a hand fan while inside the
church. If there will be a lot of people in the church and it gets really hot inside, people
will have a hard time staying inside the church and enjoying the church’s architectural
design and structure
7. I also recommend that this study should be a basis of a tourism program for tour or travel
agencies. The San Sebastian Church is a church with good architectural design and it is a
masterpiece.
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Hoboken, New Jersey: Blackwell Publisher.
Trompe l'oeil. (2015). Retrieved September 3, 2015 from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trompe-l%27%C5%93il
UNESCO (2006). Tentative list for the world heritage list. World Heritage: San
Sebastian Church. Retrieved September 3, 2015 from
http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/518/
Yang, J. (2011). San Sebastian Chuch. Retrieved September 19, 2015 from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pianoforte/5477493209/in/photostream/
Zulueta, L. B. (2015). Rust Corroding All-steel San Sebastian Church.
Retrieved September 9, 2015 from
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/185240/rust-corroding-all-steel-san-sebastian-church
Appendix A
Letter of Approval
September 5, 2015
Fr. Antonio C. Zabala, Jr., OAR
Parish Priest of the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian
Dear Fr. Antonio C. Zabala, Jr., OAR,
Paulinian Greetings!
I am a fourth year student from St. Paul University Quezon City taking up Bachelor
of Science in Tourism Management. I would like to request an interview with you and your
employees regarding our thesis entitled “Architectural Church Tourism in Manila: The Case
of San Sebastian Church”.
Attached is our interview guide.
Thank you very much and God Bless you!
Sincerely yours,
Noted:
Antonette C. Enriquez (Sgd)
Dr. Adrian Carvajal (Sgd)
Contact number: 09163055655
Thesis Adviser
Appendix B
Survey Questionnaire
I, Antonette C. Enriquez, am conducting a study entitled, “Architectural Church
Tourism in Manila: The Case of San Sebastian Church”. This is in compliance with the
requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management in Saint Paul University
Quezon City.
Your support in answering this questionnaire below will be highly appreciated. Rest assured
that all information given is treated with strictest confidentiality.
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Instruction: Please answer the following questions honestly.
Name (optional):
Age:
_____local tourist
Gender:
_____foreign tourist
1. What is your perception on the architectural design of San Sebastian church in Quiapo,
Manila? (Please check only one)
_____attractive
_____unappealing
_____unique
_____antique
_____interesting
others:__________
2. What aspects of the architectural design interest you? (Check as many as you want)
_____carved wood confessionals
_____crystal chandeliers
_____gothic revival altar
_____groined vault ceiling
_____highly ornate pulpit
_____ murals w/in dome’s tholobate
_____prefabricated steel base
_____ rose and stained glass windows
_____trompe-l’oeil interior painting
others: ____________________
3. Which part of the church interest you? (Check as many as you want)
_____altar
_____ceiling
_____ church interior
_____choir loft
_____Façade
_____nave
_____steel base
_____windows
others:_____________
4. Which part of the church should be given more attention or emphasis by guides during
actual tours? (Check as many as you want)
_____altar
_____ceiling
_____ church interior
_____choir loft
_____Façade
_____nave
_____steel base
_____windows
_____statues
others: __________________
5. What are the reasons why you visit San Sebastian church? (Check as many as you
want)
_____architectural design
_____ historical background
_____to attend holy mass/pray
_____Part of the tour
others: __________________
Appendix C
Interview Guide
1. Do you think that the San Sebastian church should be included in the itinerary for tours
in Manila? Why?
2. What are your recommendations to improve architectural tourism of San Sebastian
church?
Appendix E
Coding Sheet
Questions
1. Do you think that San
Sebastian church should be
Answers:
Rev. Fr. Antonio C. Zabala, Jr., OAR
-
Yes, it must be included, especially on
included in the itinerary for
educational tours, for the church to be more
tours in Manila? Why?
famous particularly in its historical
background and its architectural design. And
this church is unique and really beautiful;
people should really see the church.
Maria Carissa Veloso
-
It should be included in the tour itineraries in
Manila, so more people would see the only
all-steel church in the Philippines. And isang
National Historical Landmark ang San
Sebastian church and it was once nominated
to be a World Heritage Site.
Hermano Viado
-
Oo, kasi isa itong simbahang ito na nanatili
ang orihinal na istraktura. Yung ibang
simbahan pag tinignan mo yung mga itsura
noon, iba na sa ngayong itsura neto. Tsaka
kakaiba nga itong simbahan kaya dapat
marami pa ang makakita nito.
2. What are your
recommendations to
Rev. Fr. Antonio C. Zabala, Jr., OAR
-
The church’s base needs to be repaired and
improve architectural
restored. As you can see, some of the
tourism of San Sebastian
columns of the church are already rusting,
church?
even the walls. The church should be taken
care of to maintain its beauty.
Maria Carissa Veloso
-
As of now, San Sebastian Basilica
Conversation and Development Foundation
Inc. is organizing a fundraising event to fund
the restoration of the church and I really
recommend that people will support this
event. We are also training locals to give
tours to tourists in San Sebastian so more
people will see its beauty, and so they would
know the history behind this church.
Because some parishioners don’t know the
significance of San Sebastian Church.
Hermano Viado
-
Sana maipaayos na yung mga kinakalawang
na bakal ng simbahan para hindi masira yung
ganda nito tska para lalong tumagal pa ang
San Sebastian mas marami pa ang
makapunta at makakita nito.
Appendix F
Pictures
San Sebastian Church – Façade (San Sebastian Church, 2015)
Figure 2
Catedral de Burgos (Burgos, Spain) – Façade (Burgos Cathedral, 2015)
Figure 3
San Sebastian church interior (Yang, 2011)
Figure 4
Gothic revival altar of San Sebastian church (Austria, 2008)
Figure 5
Trompe-l’oeil interior painting (Yang, 2011)
Figure 6.1
Trompe-l’oeil interior painting (Yang, 2011)
Figure 6.2
Rose and stained glass window (Yang, 2011)
Figure 7
Appendix G
Curriculum Vitae
Name: Antonette C. Enriquez
Age: 22 years old
Date of birth:December 2, 1992
Contact number: 09163055655
E-mail address: [email protected]
Residence: #65 San Manuel St., Brgy. Rivera, San Juan City
Parents:
Albert T. Enriquez
Antonia C. Enriquez
Course: Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management
