Manila Cathedral

Discover the rich Historical Heritage of the Manila Cathedral

Manila Cathedral was first built in 1581 out of nipa and bamboo. But since it was vulnerable to typhoons and fires, it was later reconstructed into a stone building in 1592. However, two earthquakes struck Manila in the year 1600 destroying the structure, so the third structure was constructed in 1614 and expanded to have three naves and seven chapels.

However, earthquakes still repeatedly hit the cathedral in 1621, 1645, 1852, 1863, and 1880. The cathedral was reduced to rubble when the Japanese bombarded Manila in 1945. During the tenure of Manila Archbishop Rufino Jiao Cardinal Santos in 1958, the cathedral was reconstructed and Pope John Paul II elevated it to the rank of minor Basilica in 1981.