Malolos Historic Town Center

Summary

The Malolos Historic Town Center is a historic district located in downtown (or the old town center of the capital town of) Malolos City, Bulacan, Philippines, commonly called the Camestisuhan or Pariancillo District of Malolos. It was declared as such for its collection of Spanish and American-era houses and government structures, and for being the birthplace of the First Philippine Republic and the Malolos Constitution as well as having been the capital of the Philippines from 1898 to 1900. The National Historical Institute (now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines) declared the downtown Malolos area officially as a National Historical Landmark and a Heritage Town on August 15, 2001.[1]

Malolos Historic Center and Heritage Town
Native name
Tagalog: Makasaysayang Kabayanan at Pamana ng Bayan ng Malolos
The Calle Santo Nino one of the streets of Camestisuhan District at the heart of the declared Historic Town Center of Malolos
TypeHeritage Zone
LocationMalolos Downtown City of Malolos, Bulacan, Philippines 3000
Coordinates14°50′40.2″N 120°48′40.6″E / 14.844500°N 120.811278°E / 14.844500; 120.811278
Built1580, 1750, 1800, 1840, 1900, 1930, 1940
Architectvarious
Architectural style(s)Spanish, American, Post-war
Governing bodyCity Government of Malolos and National Historical Commission of the Philippines
Malolos Historic Town Center is located in Philippines
Malolos Historic Town Center
Location of Malolos Historic Center and Heritage Town in Philippines

History edit

The Camestisuhan District of Malolos was originally called Pariancillo. It was the district intended for the Chinese residents of Malolos in the 1700s. It was started in 1755 when the Governor General of the Philippines ordered the expulsion of the Chinese from the Philippines due to their participation in some rebellion and sedition acts against the Spanish Government.

On documents such as the Registros Paroquiales or The Catholic Baptismal Registry of Malolos, the town already had its own "Parian" (a kind of Chinatown) in 1710. Some of the Chinese in Manila transferred to Malolos as it was already a hub for some Chinese and so that they could be far from the eyes of the Spanish Government in Manila. When he heard about this migration, the Governor General ordered that all Chinese migration destinations outside Manila should have a district for the Chinese for racial segregation. Thus the Malolos Pariancillo was established. Pariancillo means "small parian". A provision in the segregation order also stated that only those Chinese who have long been residents of the town who have married a native of Malolos will not be expelled. Thus the Sangleys of Malolos were born and the Pariancillo became the Chinese enclave in Bulacan Province.

Rationale for the district's declaration as a Historic Town Center edit

The National Historical Institute board resolution cites several reasons for the declaration of certain areas in downtown Malolos as a National Historical Landmark and Heritage Town, or informally as parts of a Historic Town Center:[1]

  • A number of men and women from Malolos became key figures in revolutionary movements during the Spanish era;
  • Malolos was declared the capital of the First Philippine Republic and its Spanish-era infrastructure were reused as government offices, e.g. the convent of the Malolos Cathedral, Barasoain Church, and several houses along the Pariancillo/Kamestisuhan district;
  • Malolos has retained a good number of noteworthy old houses and other buildings that attest to the artistry, craftsmanship and ingenuity of its builders

Declared areas edit

According to the board resolution, the following streets are identified as part of the Malolos Historic Town Center:[1]

Street Name
Barangay
Paseo del Congreso Street from Barasoain church to Malolos bridge San Agustin
Padre Jose Burgos Street bound by Enriquez St. and Malolos Bridge
Hipolito Street bound by P. Burgos and Enriquez Streets
Cigarillera Street (Tampoy) Santo Niño
Pariancillo Street
Santo Niño Street
F.T. Reyes (Electricidad) bound by Santo Niño Street and M. Tengco Street
M. Tengco Street bound by F. T. Reyes and F. Estrella Streets
F. Estrella Street bound by Liang River and Kanto Boy Street
Santiago - Cruz House at Jacinto Street (Pariancillo)
Pineda and Aldaba Houses at F. T. Reyes Street
Malolos Water Cistern at Plaza Torres San Vicente

Built heritage edit

Within the declared Heritage District edit

The following table lists down extant built heritage within the areas declared by the National Historical Institute:

Outside the Declared Area edit

The following table lists of structures in Malolos extant built heritage outside the declared National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Institute but are still covered by the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 as cultural property:[2]

Important Cultural Properties edit

One of the features of Malolos Historic Town Center are the monuments created by the artisans and National Artist can be found at different areas in the city.

Structure Provenance Site Location Artist
Stone Fountain 1933 Dr. Luis Santos Art Deco House Guillermo Tolentino
Bounty Harvest Painting 1933 Dr. Luis Santos Art Deco House Fernando Amorsolo
Gat Francisco Balagtas Marble Bust 1950 Malolos Plaza and Rotounda Guillermo Tolentino,National Artist
Brass Bust of Marcelo Hilario del Pilar 1903 Malolos City Hall Plaza Hilario Sunico, Bellcaster of 19th century
Brass Bust of Dr.Jose P. Rizal 1901 Plaza Rizal, Casa Real, Malolos City Hilario Sunico, Bellcaster of 19th century
Bronze Statue of Emilio Aguinaldo 1950 Barasoain Church Plaza, Malolos City Antonio Caedo,pre-National Artist
Gen.Isidoro Torres Monument 1950 Plaza Torres, Malolos Market n/a
Jose Rizal Statue 1923 Malolos Central School n/a
The Propagandista Triumvirate 1950 Bulacan Capitol Compound, Malolos n/a
President Ramon Magsaysay 1960 Bulacan Capitol Compound, Malolos
General Gregorio del Pilar 1950 Bulacan Capitol Plaza, Malolos n/a

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b wmph is an internal identifier used by Wikimedia Philippines to identify the monument. This is not an official identifier, and only shown temporarily in the templates until the government creates an updated complete list.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Declaring the Historic Town Center of Malolos in Bulacan as a National Historical Landmark" (PDF). nhcp.gov.ph/. National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  2. ^ "National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009" (PDF). ncca.gov.ph/. National Commission on Culture and the Arts. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2015.

External links edit

  • List of Board Resolutions of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines
  • Republic Act No. 10066 - National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009