San Pablo Heritage zone


San Pablo Heritage zone or The city of San Pablo Heritage zone, is a location in San Pablo, Laguna containing built structures from the Spanish and American colonial era, historical monuments and objects of historical and cultural significance.

Background

San Pablo is one of the oldest documented settlements in the Philippines. In 1586, Captain Juan de Salcedo arrived in the village of Sampaloc, an upland community of Tagalog and Aeta.
Geographically, the city is the heart of the Laguna Volcanic Field, which explains the abundance of unique geological structures such as the crater lakes, hills and others.
Politically and economically, San Pablo is one of the most prosperous cities in the country in the early 20th century, owing to its main produce of coconuts. It is also the first city in the province of Laguna as established by Commonwealth Act no. 520.
The city is also home to the see of the Roman Catholic Bishop of San Pablo, a diocese which oversees catholic churches in the province of Laguna.
As expressed in City Ordinance 2018–53 by the local government of San Pablo, the San Pablo Heritage zone was established to preserve and enshrine the legacy and history of the city.

Boundaries

The area covers:
  • The core zone
  • * Bounded on the North by the San Pablo Cathedral at the corner of T. Azucena and Magcase Sts.
  • * M. Paulino St. to the railroad track intersection of Colago Avenue and Rizal Avenue
  • * 700 meter stretch of the city's main thoroughfare- Rizal avenue to the railroad track intersection of Colago Avenue and Rizal Avenue
  • Historical sites identified included City Ordinance 2018-53 outside the core zone
  • Buffer zones as defined by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines

Structures included

Listed below are structures included in the heritage zone.
ImageName of structureLocationDescriptionYear completedNotes
San Pablo Old Capitol building14.0746 ° N, 121.3249° EDesigned by Arch. Antonio Toledo in the Neoclassical style, this American colonial era structure was the seat of municipal power. Currently houses the Museo de San Pablo.1940
Saint Paul the First Hermit Cathedral -Parish church14° 04.187N 121° 19.591ESeat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of San Pablo, which encompasses all of Laguna Province.1721
DepEd Library Hub 14.07041, 121.32588Was once the site of the Casa Real. Now contains a library.1950s
Fule- Malvar Mansion14° 04′ 16.72″ N, 121° 19′ 20.93″ EBuilt by spouses Eusebia Fule and Potenciano Malvar, the first appointed mayor1915
Doña Prudencia Fule Ancestral House14.0678,12129574An expansive bahay na bato of Doña Prudencia Fule, a local benefactress.1845
Prudencia Fule Memorial Elementary School14,06820, 121,29574Site of the an American colonial era schoolhouse known as a Gabaldon. Land donated and named after Doña Prudencia Fule.1930s
San Pablo Railway station14.0689 ° N, 121.3213° EAmerican colonial era railway station instrumental to the transport of coconuts, the city's major cash crop1911
San Pablo Municipal Cemetery14.06301, 121.32306Completed in 1937, the cemetery serves as the final resting place for locals and prominent San Pableños1937
San Pablo Red Cross/ Puericulture center
Former site of the Escuela Pia
14.06988, 121.32570Site of the Escuela Pia, the first school in the city established in the Spanish era.
Now occupied by the Red cross and Puericulture center
1953
San Pablo Central School14.0713 ° N, 121.3230° EFormerly known as the San Pablo Intermediate School. Contains a multitude of American colonial era schoolhouse known as Gabaldons.1910s
San Diego Elementary School14.09197, 121.35507Formerly known as Balintawak Elementary school, the site contains the American colonial era schoolhouse known as the Gabaldon.American colonial era
Don Alfonso Farcon Residence14.0701, 121.3266Built in the American colonial style, it is the home of Don Alfonso Farcon, first municipal president of San Pablo1950s
Franklin Baker company14.0662339, 121.3221727One of the oldest American companies in the city processing coconuts1947
San Pablo Telegraph building14.0702, 121.3258The city's telegraph office1960s
San Pablo Fire department building14.07045, 121.32586The city's fire department building1930s
Hagdang bato at Sampaloc lake14.0744 ° N, 121.3263° Eone of the oldest constructed access points to Sampaloc lake1915
San Pablo Plaza14.07032, 121.29574The city's main public square, where the Brothers Juan and Epitacio Belen, Spanish era martyrs were drawn and quartered.
Contains a statue of Dr. Jose Rizal- one of the oldest monuments to the hero in Laguna, a historic fountain and the historic marker for the city of San Pablo
late 1910s
Doña Leonila Park14.0784° N, 121.3255 ° EA public park named after Doña Leonila Garcia, 8th First Lady of the Republic of the Philippineslate 1960s
Dambana ng kagitingan14.0784 ° N, 121.3255° EMonument to the WWII veterans of San Pablo City1972
Gat. Andres Bonifacio Shrine14°18'44"N 121°6'0"EMonument to Andres Bonifacio, Father of the KKK movement1997
Trese Martires Monument14°18'44"N 121°6'0"EMonument to the Thirteen martyrs of Cavite, collaborators of the KKK
Apolinario Mabini monument14.0709 ° N, 121.3237° EMonument to Apolinario Mabini, the sublime paralytic1950s
Pinaglabanan Shrine14.09197, 121.35508Memorial site of the first Filipino-American uprising in the city against the invading Japanese Imperial Army.1997
Guerilla Shrine14.1141° N, 121.3003° EMemorial site of the Battle of Mt. Kalisungan, the last Filipino – American uprising in the City of San Pablo against the Japanese Imperial Army2000
Lina Building14.0711 ° N, 121.3234° ESite of the Spanish-era Controlled Merchandize Building, now a commercial buildingpostwar
Century old Mango tree14.0698, 121.3258A city landmark and largest tree in the main plaza areaca. 1899

Heritage markers

Listed below are heritage markers in the city of San Pablo as installed by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and its predecessors, the Philippine Historical Committee and the National Historical Institute.
ImageName of markerLocationYear installedNotes
Lunsod ng San PabloSan Pablo Plaza
14.07032, 121.29574
1954
Katedral ng San Pablo14° 04.187N,
121° 19.591E
1986
Mansiyong Fule Malvar14° 04′ 16.72″ N,
121° 19′ 20.93″ E
1991
Villa Escudero13° 59′ 42.48″ N,
121° 20′ 31.53″ E
1984