A look inside San Agustin church is a look into the grandeur of a bygone era as well as the power that the Catholic church wielded during the Spanish colonial years. One is only awed with amazement gazing at these ornate and fabulous richness and artistry.

Rich hammered silver decorate the lower portion of the altar mayor or main altar. Impressive trompe l’oeil (French for “fools the eye”) painted on the walls and cielings, then a rage in Victorian Europe.

Gilded and ornate baroque altars complement the neoclassical altars. An exquisite pulpit that’s just equally impressive catches the eye. Century old chandeliers hang from the nave as well. At the sides, one can see the graves of prominent families interred.

As one enters the narthex or the vestibule (lobby) of the church one can readily notice the massive stone arch. This supports the choir loft where one can find a huge organ, a wonderfully carved lectern with cantorals as well as the misericordia seats.

One of the notable feature of this church is the lateral cryptocollateral chapels found at the sides. The massive walls between each niche are actually inner buttresses, a consequence of a lack of space. These contrafuertres, as what some historians and architects say, are key to the stability and lastingness of this church that has weathered several earthquakes that happened since this stone church was built.

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Estan Cabigas is a multiawarded blogger and freelance photographer based in Makati City, the Philippines. A true blue Cebuano, he makes stunning images and meaningful photo stories. He has writtten for CNN Go and his photograph was published in the May 2010 issue of the National Geographic Magazine.

To know more about him and his photography, visit estancabigas.com.

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