Cagsawa Ruins
Encyclopedia
The Cagsawa Ruins are the remnants of an 18th century Franciscan
church, the Cagsawa church, built in 1724 and destroyed by the 1814 eruption of the Mayon Volcano
. They are located in Barangay
Busay, Cagsawa, in the municipality of Daraga, Albay
, Philippines
.
The ruins, currently protected in a park overseen by the municipal government of Daraga and the National Museum of the Philippines
, are one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area. They are considered symbolic of the dangers of living in close proximity with the Mayon Volcano.
and a 55-minute flight from Manila
. By bus, the location is five to six hours away from Manila
.
The ruins are roughly 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) away from the summit of the Mayon Volcano.
church of Cagsawa was built after 1724 by Franciscan friar
s under Fray
Francisco Blanco in the small town of Cagsawa (spelled as Cagsaua during the Hispanic occupation
of the Philippines). It was supposed to replace an earlier church built in 1636 that had been burned down by Dutch
pirates.
It was destroyed during the most destructive eruption of the nearby Mayon Volcano in February 1, 1814. The eruption killed an estimated 1,200 people in the surrounding areas and buried the town of Cagsawa (among others) under several hundred million cubic meters of ash. Hundreds of inhabitants of the town of Cagsawa purportedly sought refuge in the church, but were also killed by either pyroclastic flow
s or lahar
. Only the belfry
and some parts of the convent survive today, though parts of the crumbling facade were still standing long after the 1814 eruption as attested by photographs. It is believed that the facade of the structure collapsed due to earthquakes in the 1950's.
Survivors of the 1814 eruption resettled into the nearby Daraga, then a mere barrio
of destroyed Cagsawa, and decided to merge the two. The Cagsawa church should not be confused with the intact church of Nuestra Señora de la Porteria (locally known as the Daraga church), built in 1773 and also located in the municipality of Daraga.
. It is also the site of the Cagsawa Branch of the National Museum of the Philippines
(also known simply as the Cagsawa National Museum). The museum was formally inaugurated on October 30, 1992 on land donated by the municipality of Daraga. It is the third largest regional branch of the National Museum. It contains photographs of the volcanic eruptions of Mount Mayon as well as geological and archeological exhibits.
Cagsawa was also subjected to the Super Typhoon Durian
(designated Typhoon Reming by PAGASA) in 2006. The ruins were unharmed even as the typhoon devastated the surrounding countryside with mudslides and lahar
that killed at least 1,266 people. The incident is similar to another catastrophe in the same region in 1825, shortly after the 1814 Mayon eruption.
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
church, the Cagsawa church, built in 1724 and destroyed by the 1814 eruption of the Mayon Volcano
Mayon Volcano
Mayon Volcano, also known as Mount Mayon, is an active volcano in the province of Albay, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Renowned as the "perfect cone" because of its almost symmetric conical shape, Mayon forms the northern boundary of Legazpi City, the largest city in terms of...
. They are located in Barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
Busay, Cagsawa, in the municipality of Daraga, Albay
Daraga, Albay
Daraga is a 1st class municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines.According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 110,625 people in 20,082 households.-History:February 1, 1814 was Mayon's deadliest eruption....
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
The ruins, currently protected in a park overseen by the municipal government of Daraga and the National Museum of the Philippines
National Museum of the Philippines
The Museum of the Filipino People is a department of the National Museum of the Philippines that houses the Anthropology and Archaeology Divisions of the National Museum. It is located in the Agrifina Circle, Rizal Park, Manila adjacent to the main National Museum building...
, are one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area. They are considered symbolic of the dangers of living in close proximity with the Mayon Volcano.
Location
The Cagsawa ruins are located 2.2 km (1.4 mi) from the town of Daraga and are approximately 8 km (5 mi) from the city of Legazpi. They are also 3.3 km (2.1 mi) from the Legazpi AirportLegazpi Airport
Legazpi Airport in the Philippines is a major airport in the Bicol Region, serving the vicinity of Legazpi City in Albay...
and a 55-minute flight from Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. By bus, the location is five to six hours away from Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
.
The ruins are roughly 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) away from the summit of the Mayon Volcano.
History
The baroqueBaroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
church of Cagsawa was built after 1724 by Franciscan friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
s under Fray
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
Francisco Blanco in the small town of Cagsawa (spelled as Cagsaua during the Hispanic occupation
History of the Philippines (1521–1898)
This article covers the history of the Philippines from the arrival of European explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, up to the end of Spanish rule in 1898.-Spanish expeditions and conquest:...
of the Philippines). It was supposed to replace an earlier church built in 1636 that had been burned down by Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
pirates.
It was destroyed during the most destructive eruption of the nearby Mayon Volcano in February 1, 1814. The eruption killed an estimated 1,200 people in the surrounding areas and buried the town of Cagsawa (among others) under several hundred million cubic meters of ash. Hundreds of inhabitants of the town of Cagsawa purportedly sought refuge in the church, but were also killed by either pyroclastic flow
Pyroclastic flow
A pyroclastic flow is a fast-moving current of superheated gas and rock , which reaches speeds moving away from a volcano of up to 700 km/h . The flows normally hug the ground and travel downhill, or spread laterally under gravity...
s or lahar
Lahar
A lahar is a type of mudflow or debris flow composed of a slurry of pyroclastic material, rocky debris, and water. The material flows down from a volcano, typically along a river valley. The term is a shortened version of "berlahar" which originated in the Javanese language of...
. Only the belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
and some parts of the convent survive today, though parts of the crumbling facade were still standing long after the 1814 eruption as attested by photographs. It is believed that the facade of the structure collapsed due to earthquakes in the 1950's.
Survivors of the 1814 eruption resettled into the nearby Daraga, then a mere barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
of destroyed Cagsawa, and decided to merge the two. The Cagsawa church should not be confused with the intact church of Nuestra Señora de la Porteria (locally known as the Daraga church), built in 1773 and also located in the municipality of Daraga.
Tourism and conservation
The ruins of the Cagsawa church are now the site of the Cagsawa Ruins Park, one of the most popular tourist destinations in AlbayAlbay
Albay is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Legazpi City and the province borders Camarines Sur to the north and Sorsogon to the south. Also to the northeast is Lagonoy Gulf....
. It is also the site of the Cagsawa Branch of the National Museum of the Philippines
National Museum of the Philippines
The Museum of the Filipino People is a department of the National Museum of the Philippines that houses the Anthropology and Archaeology Divisions of the National Museum. It is located in the Agrifina Circle, Rizal Park, Manila adjacent to the main National Museum building...
(also known simply as the Cagsawa National Museum). The museum was formally inaugurated on October 30, 1992 on land donated by the municipality of Daraga. It is the third largest regional branch of the National Museum. It contains photographs of the volcanic eruptions of Mount Mayon as well as geological and archeological exhibits.
Cagsawa was also subjected to the Super Typhoon Durian
Typhoon Durian
Typhoon Durian was an intense storm that wreaked havoc in the Philippines, causing massive loss of life when mudslides from the Mayon Volcano buried many villages...
(designated Typhoon Reming by PAGASA) in 2006. The ruins were unharmed even as the typhoon devastated the surrounding countryside with mudslides and lahar
Lahar
A lahar is a type of mudflow or debris flow composed of a slurry of pyroclastic material, rocky debris, and water. The material flows down from a volcano, typically along a river valley. The term is a shortened version of "berlahar" which originated in the Javanese language of...
that killed at least 1,266 people. The incident is similar to another catastrophe in the same region in 1825, shortly after the 1814 Mayon eruption.