Description of the attraction
Malate Church is a small Catholic church built in the Baroque style on the shores of the Manila Bay. This is one of the oldest churches in Manila outside of Intramuros: in 1588, the Augustinian monks began to build it, and already in 1591 the stone church and monastery were completed. If you look at the church from the air, you can see that its roof is made in the shape of a cross. It is customary to hold weddings and baptisms in this church.
During the short occupation of the Philippine Islands by the British in 1762-1763, British soldiers took refuge here during the hostilities. Later, in 1773, the church was destroyed and then rebuilt. Other serious damage to the church building was caused during the typhoon of 1868, but the people raised funds for the next restoration of the shrine, which, however, dragged on until 1898. Finally, during the battles of the Second World War, it was almost destroyed - the Japanese set fire to both the church itself and the adjacent monastery. Only the walls survived. But by 1950 the roof was restored, the altar, vault and transepts were rebuilt. In 1978, the inner walls of the church were painted with frescoes, and the outer ones were restored. The current façade of the church is "an interesting mixture of Muslim and Baroque architecture." The imposing stone structure stands out for its cylindrical pillars, several openings and lush ornamentation, which some seem to be overly variegated.
The church is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary the Comforter, who is considered the patroness of pregnant women. In 1624, a statue of the Virgin Mary was brought from Spain, which still stands at the altar today.
There is a small Raji Suleiman park right in front of the church. From the embankment of Manila Bay, it is separated by Roxas Boulevard, on which there are many cafes and restaurants.
