San Agustin Church

San Agustin Church tickets: which one to buy

San Agustin Church stands on General Luna Street in Intramuros, the historic walled city of Manila, and it is the oldest stone church in the Philippines. Entry to the church for mass is free, while the San Agustin Museum, in the adjoining monastery, charges an admission and gives access to the choir loft, which offers the best view of the church interior. The church is one of the four Baroque Churches of the Philippines listed by UNESCO.

Walking, bamboo bicycle and horse-drawn carriage tours of Intramuros combine San Agustin with the Manila Cathedral, Fort Santiago and the Casa Manila museum across the street. The church is a very popular venue for weddings, especially on weekends, and visits to the church may be restricted during ceremonies. Modest dress is expected. Kalesa drivers offer rides through Intramuros from the plaza and can include San Agustin on the route.

Visiting San Agustin Church: what to see

The Augustinian friars built the first church here in 1571, soon after the Spanish founded Manila, but it was made of bamboo and wood and burned. The present stone church was built between 1586 and 1607, and it has survived earthquakes, typhoons and wars, including the battle of Manila in 1945, which destroyed almost everything else in Intramuros. The facade is relatively plain, with carved wooden doors and Chinese stone lions guarding the entrance, reflecting the Chinese craftsmen who worked on it. Inside, the ceiling is painted in trompe l'oeil by Italian artists in the nineteenth century, creating the illusion of three-dimensional carved decoration.

The church has a carved pulpit, a choir with seventeenth century seats of molave wood and ivory inlays, and the tomb of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, founder of Manila. The museum displays religious art, vestments and Augustinian treasures. The main altar is gilded and decorated in baroque style, and side chapels hold images of saints venerated by Filipino Catholics. The cloisters of the monastery display paintings, sculptures and ivory figures. In the choir loft, the old hymnal books are displayed on a revolving lectern. The monastery also has a crypt where Spanish and Filipino notables were buried.

San Agustin Church opening hours and the best time to go

The museum is open daily, with a break at lunchtime, and the church is open for masses and visits outside wedding times. Manila is hot and humid all year, and the dry season from December to May is the most comfortable time to explore Intramuros. Mornings are best. Weekends are busy with weddings, and the church decorated with flowers can make a lovely sight. Christmas and Holy Week bring special celebrations and processions. Allow about an hour for the church and museum, and combine the visit with Casa Manila, a reconstructed colonial house, and a walk on the walls at sunset. The Bahay Tsinoy museum nearby tells the story of the Chinese in the Philippines.