The Lizares-Gamboa Mansion, also known as Lizares Mansion or Villa Lizares, is a heritage house located in the district of Jaro in Iloilo City, Philippines. It now serves as the chapel of Angelicum School Iloilo.[1]
| Lizares Mansion | |
|---|---|
Villa Lizares | |
_(cropped).jpg) | |
 | |
| Alternative names | Lizares-Gamboa Mansion |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| Location | Jaro |
| Address | Angelicum School, MacArthur Highway |
| Town or city | Iloilo City |
| Country | Philippines |
| Completed | 1937 |
| Owner | Angelicum School Iloilo |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Andrés Luna de San Pedro |
In 2024, the Lizares Mansion was declared an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP).[2]
History
editThe Lizares Mansion, built in 1937, was a gift from Don Emiliano Lizares to his wife, Conchita Gamboa, and their two sons and three daughters. It was designed by Andres Luna de San Pedro, the son of famous Filipino painter Juan Luna. The mansion has three floors, a basement, and an attic. It features a winding wooden staircase, large bedrooms with floors and doors made of hardwood, and 59 doors.[3]
When World War II broke out, the Lizares family left for a safe hiding place in Pototan, Iloilo. The mansion was then used as the headquarters of the Japanese army. During the Japanese occupation, Filipino soldiers were tortured within its walls, and their bodies were disposed of on the estate grounds, with the basement believed to be a dumping ground for tortured Filipinos. Some accounts suggest the family used a network of underground tunnels during their escape, one of which reportedly led to Iloilo Memorial Park.
As the liberation of Panay approached, Japanese soldiers in the mansion committed seppuku. Locals believe that the spirits of those who died during this period still haunt the mansion.
After the war, the Lizares family returned to live in the mansion, but life was never the same. In 1950, Don Emiliano Lizares died, and his widow left for Manila, leasing the mansion to a businessman who turned it into a casino. The city mayor later ordered the casino closed, claiming it corrupted the locals. The mansion was then left in the care of Tio Doroy Finolan and his wife, who kept it intact.[4]
In 1962, the Lizares Mansion was sold to the Dominicans. In 1963, it was converted into a House of Formation for young Dominicans in the Philippines. By 1978, the Lizares Mansion compound had become the home of Angelicum School Iloilo with the help of the University of Santo Tomas (UST).[5]
In 2024, the Lizares Mansion was declared an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP).
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Lizares Mansion (Angelicum School)". Explore Iloilo. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
- ^ "Lizares Mansion in Jaro, Iloilo City declared Important Cultural Property". www.gmanetwork.com. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
- ^ Moralidad, Glory (2023-08-01). "Exploring Lizares Mansion: A Stunning Glimpse of its Enigmatic History". You Create Iloilo I Glory Moralidad I Iloilo Blogger. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
- ^ "Lizares Mansion (Iloilo) History". travelsetu.com. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
- ^ Mawis-Aliston, Ar Vittoria (2023-04-29). "Iloilo of past and present". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
External links
edit
Media related to Lizares Mansion (Iloilo City) at Wikimedia Commons