The Capitolio and the Cathedral in Malolos Bulacan

I think I already tackled earlier about Barosoain…but Malolos City is more than just that. We do all know that it has been the capital of the first republic of the Philippines under the “dictatorship” of Kapitan Miong (the first president himself) and right now, the heart of governance of the province of Bulacan. We do all know that the women here has a special place in our history as Lolo Jose wrote about her women’s courage.

The second of the Malolos series. Ngayon naman, we’ll be passing by the Provincial Capitol of Bulacan and the Cathedral of Malolos. Both are of edifices of power, with the latter having an interesting place in Philippine history…

Capitolyo Provincial de Bulacan

Located just beside the main highway going to either Pampanga and Manila, this art-deco dominated capitol was said to have been constructed during the American colonial period, in 1930′s. Grand as it may be seen from the Provincial Capitol plaza, it manifests the best of neo-classical and art-deco mixture. Inside, the said style dominates the scene. It gives a commanding yet majestic impression of the province.

I’ll be skipping Barosoain Church now because I’ve tackled this earlier, so off we go to the town center.

Gee, Malolos is bustling…really. Near the city’s plaza, trikes and jeepneys zoom past over several of its most important edifices in the city…or perhaps the country. Imposing and welcoming the people like a woman with open arms, is the cathedral itself…interestingly enough…the church and the convent has a special place in our country’s history books…

Cathedral of Malolos (Basilica Minore de Imaculada Concepcion) and Convent.

The Marian coloured baroque church with a humongous statue of Mary the Immaculate at the top of seemingly “pedestalish” belfry. Well, that’s not what you see in usual belfries in the country in which crosses are on top and not statues.

Anyway, being the seat of ecclesiastical territory of Roman Catholic Bulacan, the convent besides it has a very significant in Philippine history, for it became the Casa Presidencial or Presidential Palace of Aguinaldo’s Malolos Republic….Yup, Malacanang was inaccessible to the newly-formed government and decided to make the convent as the Executive house of this country for a short period of time (September 1898 to March 1899). Very conveniently located near the “Batasang Pambansa” of Malolos Republic, which is Barosoain Church! Talk about being the Manila and QC in 1898! And take note, these are churches.

More on Malolos later…

For more pictures of the Cathedral and the Bulacan Provincial Capitol, click on the links below:

Bulacan Provincial Capitol |      Malolos Cathedral