The Lichauco Heritage House, formally known as the O'Brien-Lichauco Heritage House is one of the oldest surviving houses in

Santa Ana, Manila Santa Ana is a district in the City of Manila, Philippines. It is located on the city's southeast, bordering the cities of Mandaluyong and Makati in the east, the city districts of Paco and Pandacan in the west, and Santa Mesa in the north. It is ...

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. Originally built in 1859, the house was purchased in the late 1940s by a prominent Filipino lawyer and dignitary,

Marcial Lichauco Marcial Primitivo Fernandez Lichauco (November 27, 1902 – March 4, 1971) was a Filipino lawyer and diplomat. Career Lichauco was born to Faustino Lichauco (1870–1930), a member of Emilio Aguinaldo's Philippine Revolution, and Luisa Fern� ...

from a European family who had fled the Japanese occupation in the Philippines. The house was declared as a heritage house by the

National Historical Commission The National Historical Commission of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Komisyong Pangkasaysayan ng Pilipinas, abbreviated NHCP) is a government agency of the Philippines. Its mission is "the promotion of history of the Philippines, Philippine ...

on July 10, 2010. The Lichauco Heritage house is located along

Pedro Gil Street Pedro Gil Street (formerly Herran Street) is an east-west inner city street and a tertiary national road in south-central Manila, Philippines. It is long and spans the entire length of Ermita, Manila, Ermita, Malate, Manila, Malate, Paco, Manila, ...

. It is the only declared Heritage House in Santa Ana, and one of the only two declared heritage houses in Metro Manila along with Mira-Nila House in Quezon City.

History

Initial surveys of the house indicate that it was constructed during the 1850-1860s during the late Spanish period. It was deliberately constructed facing the

Pasig River The Pasig River ( fil, Ilog Pasig) is a water body in the Philippines that connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. Stretching for , it bisects the Philippine capital of Manila and Metro Manila, its surrounding urban area into northern and souther ...

because at the time, the river was an avenue for a flourishing market and a major transport route for visitors travelling in Manila. Old picture of Lichauco Heritage House

Prior to

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the house was owned by the O'Brien family who fled Manila when Japanese troops invaded the capital. Unlike the other towns in Manila, Santa Ana was spared from much of the destruction. Because of its location on a main thoroughfare leading out of Manila, the house became a place of refuge for those fleeing the destruction downtown. Following the Allied liberation of Manila,

bought the house from the O'Briens. In recent years, the house has become an important remnant of Santa Ana's rich history when at June 10, 2010, it was declared to be the first heritage house by the virtue of Resolution 5 by the National Historical Commission.

Architecture and style

In a style reminiscent of the

Bahay na Bato ''Bahay na bato'' (Tagalog language, Tagalog, literally "house of stone", also known in Visayans, Visayan as ''balay na bato'' or ''balay nga bato; in Spanish language, Spanish as Spanish Colonial architecture, Casa Filipino'') is a type of buil ...

of pre-1860s heavily influenced by Spanish-style architecture, concrete materials are used on the ground floor, varnished wood on the second floor, and

capiz Capiz, officially the Province of Capiz ( Capiznon/ Hiligaynon: ''Kapuoran sang Capiz''; tl, Lalawigan ng Capiz), is a province in the Philippines located in the central section of Western Visayas region. Its capital is the city of Roxas. It is ...

for windows and other decorations. The house retains its original materials and architecture, including the molave stairs, the adobe walls, the wooden panels and the machuca tiles. It has a spacious second floor to accommodate social gatherings. A row thick, plaster-coated

Tuscan column The Tuscan order (Latin ''Ordo Tuscanicus'' or ''Ordo Tuscanus'', with the meaning of Etruscan order) is one of the two classical orders developed by the Romans, the other being the composite order. It is influenced by the Doric order, but with u ...

s supports the veranda on the side facing the Pasig River. The house faces the Pasig River because at the time it was built, most guests arrived by boat. Lichauco House heritage tree

Standing in front of the house is a 200-year-old

balete tree The balete tree (also known as balite or baliti) are several species of the trees in the Philippines from the genus ''Ficus'' that are broadly referred to as ''balete'' in the local language. A number of these are known as '' strangler figs'' wh ...

(strangler fig). This tree was declared by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as the second heritage tree within City of Manila. The Lichauco balete tree is the eighth Heritage Tree proclaimed in

Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...

, However, it is the first heritage tree to be declared inside a residential compound.

References

External links

{{commons category, Lichauco Heritage House, position=left Houses in Metro Manila Cultural Properties of the Philippines in Metro Manila Heritage Houses in the Philippines Buildings and structures in Santa Ana, Manila Houses completed in 1859

History

Architecture and style

See also

References

External links