Ten exceptional and poorly known Spanish colonial era cemetery chapels that are still existing in the Philippines scattered in Luzon and the Visayas.

It is not known when the old cemetery of Anini-y in Antique, just at the side of the main road and a few kilometers from the town center, was built but the design is the same with the neighboring town of Tobias Fornier (formerly Dao).

Probaly a beautiful structure at its heyday, the cemetery entrance arch and walls in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, has fallen into disrepair and neglect.

Simbahan reader Handel Advento sent in pictures he took of the Oton cemetery chapel before it was renovated in October 1997.

Saravia’s old cemetery is still intact with its chapel and portions of the perimeter fence, all made from bricks. Entrance to the area is through a simple arch with a still original but already bent metal gate.

Compared with the elaborate cemetery chapels of Iloilo like in Cabatuan, Saravia’s cemetery chapel is a simple brick construction found at the back end of the cemetery square. It consists of a simple arched entrance and two side windows all with metal grills. Decorative elements are limited to the simple columns that tend to fade into the background.

A beautiful structure just along the highway of Saravia (now E. B. Magalona), Negros Occidental. Built by the Augustinian Recollects, this was made with mortar and bricks and is still complete with its chapel, niches, arch and perimeter fence with beautiful iron grills.

The first time I saw this cemetery entrance when I visited the Roxas City in Capiz, I was awed by its elegance and size. It is huge compared with the others that I have seen to date and one of the most beautiful in the country.

At the old Catholic cemetery or camposanto in Roxas City is a beautiful antique octagonal structure that dates back to the Spanish colonial era. The cemetery chapel, built at the center, is made from cut coral stones with simple decorations.

Located less than a kilometer from the church grounds and ruins of Oton in Iloilo is the old Catholic cemetery of the municipality. Lacking the artistry and sophistication when compared with the other chapels in the province, it is a simple structure

From the collection of archival photos of the San Agustin Museum courtesy of Fr. Pedro Galende, three old photos of the beautiful Cabatuan cemetery are featured here. Above, is the capilla or chapel sans the vegetation that now blocked the view from the entrance. This chapel has the most stylized skull and crossbone bas relief in the country.

Like most old churches in the country, one can find many tombs of notable people of the town inside Carcar Church. Creepy as it may sound but it has been the practice especially for those individuals and their families who contributed greatly to the church through it’s construction or donated something for the church’s use.

The Catholic cemetery in Carcar is the oldest cemetery in the municipality. I haven’t got information when this was constructed but it might be 19th century as it is located far from the current church, following the decree of King Charles IV in 1787. It is still in use with modern niches tightly crowding any available space. It might have lost it’s original chapel but there are still remnants of the perimeter fence.

Extant mortuary chapels in the country are hard to find. Except maybe if you are in the province of Iloilo where there are a few excellent examples. However, beyond that province and Cebu, there are also scattered across the rest of the regions but not all and I haven’t seen one from Mindanao. During my travels, I was able to find some that are now posted here.

The cemetery and mortuary chapels in Cebu are not as grand as those in Iloilo and are in different degrees of condition with most having been renovated and one in near collapse. In this post, I am presenting the eight cemetery and mortuary chapels that can be found in Cebu: Calamba (Cebu City), Sibonga, Argao, Dalaguete and Oslob.