CALLE HIDALGO: The Heart of Quiapo’s Heritage Zone
Renders and Models: Tin Sacabon
Graphics: Diego Torres
Between Quiapo Church and San Sebastian Church lies Calle Hidalgo, a street full of stories and some of Quiapo’s remaining old-world beauty. Formerly known as Calle San Sebastian, this short street became famous when it became the address of some of Manila’s prominent and rich families during the 19th century (1800s). Names such as the Paternos, Padillas, Hidalgos, Aranetas, Zaragozas, and Legardas settled in and around this idyllic street. Grand houses rose along its path, many of which featured arcaded sidewalks. Saved from destruction during World War 2, the area gradually fell into decline during the latter half of the 20th century. The old houses were soon pulled down, leaving only a few remaining stragglers in what was once dubbed as one of Manila’s most beautiful streets. Currently, a bill authored by Representative Joel Chua is in Congress which will declare parts of Quiapo a heritage zone, including Calle Hidalgo.
In order to give modern audiences a glimpse of this lost world, Renacimiento Manila has included Quiapo in the Digital Manila Project. Using research done by Peter Danielle Rallos of Kapitbahayan sa Kalye Bautista atbp. Lugar, Inc. – KKB, Renacimiento member and PLM architecture student Tin Sacabon has created these models of Calle Hidalgo’s buildings. This shows the first cluster of structures, out of three areas of the street. Here are some of those renders with additional information about the structures in Cluster 1.
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