Basilica de San Martin de Tours Postcards

Minor Basilica de San Martin de Tours (Taal Cathedral) is considered as the largest in Asia and biggest church in the Philippines. San Martin de Tours is the Patron Saint of Taal with the feast day every November 11th of the year.

Taal Cathedral Postcard 1

The church was first built by father Diego Espina in 1575 in present day San Nicolas but abandoned in 1754 due the eruption of Taal and rebuild in 1755. Then an earthquake shook it down in 1849. Construction of the present church was started in 1856 that was supervised by an architect, Luciano Oliver.

Taal Cathedral Postcard 2

The Taal Basilica is quite famous with its high ceilings, ornate chandeliers and unusual facade. Its façade is baroque and consists of a single mass of stone shaped into rich complex designs. The church, however, is a fusion of styles with arched openings, alternating segmental canopies and arches of assymmetric shapes. It stands 96 meters long and 45 meters wide and is situated in a plateau in the heart of Taal.

Taal Cathedral Postcard 3

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Basilica de San Martin de Tours