The Filipino obsession to find their counterparts of the West was a form of colonial mentality that peaked post-war. From fashions to fads, locals copied American ways. Philippine showbiz spawned its own versions of Elvis, Liz Taylor, James Dean and Charlie Chaplin. Soon, landmarks from the Western world began making their appearance here--some intentionally copied, a few just accidental look-alikes.
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The Sta. Rosa Arch in Laguna served as a
watchtower for marauding pirates in the early days.Watchmen blew their horns
either for signs of danger, during festivities or for mourning a deceased
native In 1925, municipal president Jose Zavalla hired David Dia to renovate
the Arch which was said to be modeled after Paris’ Arc de Triomphe at the
Champs-Élysées, built in 1806. The local
Arch was built near the market area in 1931. Dia, a native of Santa
Rosa, was a famous sculptor during his time. He was th maker as well of Dr.
Rizal’s monument in the town plaza.
Picture sources: Alex R. Castro Archives
Pisa’s leaning belfry was started in 14 August 1173 and took 199 years to complete. The tower began to tilt while it was being constructed and has a height that varied from 186 to 183 feet, and currently leans at an angle of 3.99 degrees. In the City of San Fernando, Pampanga, there exists a version of the Italian campanile—but the leaning structure is a NAWASA water tower that was constructed in 1929 at a cost of Php10,000. Due to subsidence and its weak foundation, it tilted through he years. There was an attempt to prop it up in 1947, but the cost was prohibitive. Thankfully, it stopped tilting in 1955. It makes an angle of 87º with the horizontal (normal is 90º with the horizontal.
Picture Sources: Leaning water tower: photographed by Nelson Pineda, Tower of Pisa: Author’s collection
The great gate to the Taj Mahal of India is of medieval architecture, with fine inlay work of white marble and precious stones on the red sandstone surface. It is eerily similar to the remnants of the mansion once owned by sugar baron Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson and Maria Braga Lacson in Talisay, Negros Occidental, now known as The Ruins. The grand residence was constructed in the early 1900s, inspired by medieval Italian architecture. It has been transformed by descendants into a tourist attraction.
Picture Source: Taj Mahal gate: www.pixabay.com , The Ruins: photo by Dustin Mijares, www.choosephilippines.com
The Sistine Chapel, originally known as
Cappella Magna, is found in the Apostolic Palace where the Pope resides, in the
Vatican. It is famous for its ceilings which are profusely decorated with 15th
and 16th century frescoes with many biblical scenes, as well as
events from the life of Christ. Its Philippine counterpart can be found in the baroque
church of Betis, rebuilt with concrete materials in 1770. The church underwent
extensive renovation and beautification during the term of its last Spanish
priest, Fray Santiago Blanco in 1939. The magnificent ceiling paintings are
attributed to a series of artists that included the legendary Simon Flores, Isidoro C. Soto, a relative of literary great Juan
Crisostomo Soto; Macario Ligon in the
1930s; and, in the early 1980s, Victor Ramos (1922–1986) who repainted and
restored almost 80% of the ceiling artworks. The church has been declared a
National Cultural Treasure by the Natioonal Museum and the National Comission
for Culture and Arts in 2001.
In Washington D.C., just across from the
iconic Washington Monument stands a the Lincoln Memorial, built to honor Pres.
Abraham Lincoln. In the expansice central hall can be found the seated statue
of the great president, carved by the Piccirilli Brothers under the supervision
of the sculptor, Daniel Chester French. The statue stands finally 19 feet (5.8
m) tall from head to foot, and took 4 years to finish, A more modest version
can be found at the Liberty Park, in Camp John Hay, Baguio City. Abe, just like
his Washington counterpart, sits dignified on a chair, although he is made of
cast cement with painted features that made him look sadly comical. There is
also a Statue of Liberty replica in the same park.
In 1858, starting on Feb. 11, the Virgin appeared to 14 year old Bernadette Soubirous in the cave of Massabielle in Lourdes, France. Her apparition was climaxed with the revelation that she was the Immaculate Conception. The rock cave has become the focal point of the Our Lady of Lourdes shrine. The religious grotto in Lourdes has been replicated at brgy. Graceville in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan and features a small spring whose water, running beneath the Lourdes statu, and like the spring France, is also said to be miraculous.
Picture Sources: Lourdes, France: vintage postcard, Author’s collection, Lourdes,Bulacan: https://www.vigattintourism.com/tourism/articles/Our-Lady-of-Lourdes-Grotto
The symbol of Christianity worldwide,
the 98 foot-high concrete statue of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer), with
arms open wide, stands on the peak of the Corcovado Mountain, overlooking Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil. French sculptor Paul Landowski created this art deco
masterpiece, and executed by Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa. Th
massive image was built between 1922-1931. There are at least 3 copies of
Cristo Redentor in the Philippines, but the most faithful is the one found in
brgy. Balua, Cagayan de Oro. The 30 foot-tall statue, completed in May
2012, stands on a 10 hectare land owned
by the Villar-owned Golden Haven memorial sanctuary.
The most replicated symbol of American freedom is that of Lady Liberty, which stands enlightening the world on Staten Island in New York. A gift of France to the U.S., th 305 foot image was inaugurated in 1886. In Manila once stood an 8-foot copy of the Statue of Liberty in the Balurate de san Diego, Intramuros. The Philippines was one of the recipients of the bronze statue, which was created on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America in 1950. It survived attacks from student activists in the 60s thru the 70s, until it was moved for safekeeping at the BSP head office in Ermita, Manila.
Picture sources: Liberty of Intramuros: CardCow.com, Liberty of NY: wikimedia commons
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