This neo-romanesque cathedral is one of the famous churches for weddings as it gives a serene and romantic atmosphere amidst its historical backdrop.
A Cathedral located inside the historic "Walled City" of Intramuros, the Manila Cathedral houses the bishop's cathedra. The Church has been destroyed several times by natural disasters and fires during its 400 years of history. The first church was made of light and combustible materials and was constructed in 1581. It was damaged by a typhoon in 1582 and later engulfed by a fire in 1583. The second structure, made of stone, was built in 1592 and was later destroyed by an earthquake in 1600. The construction of the third church was started in 1584. The new structure consists of three naves and seven chapels blessed in 1614; it was destroyed by the earthquake that shook Manila in 1645. The fourth structure was built between 1654 to 1671 but was again severely damaged by another earthquake in 1863, the same calamity that destroyed the Malacanang Palace. In 1880, another earthquake toppled the church's bell tower rendering it towerless until 1959. The fifth church was built between 1870 to 1879 and was solemnly blessed in December of 1879; it was later destroyed during the Battle of Manila in the Second World War. The sixth and present Cathedral was constructed in 1954 and finished in 1958 under the supervision of Eng. Fernando Ocampo during the rule of Manila Archbishop Rufino Jiao Cardinal Santos. The cross atop the Cathedral's central dome is the reference point of the astronomical latitude and longitude of the country.
