CAPILLA MORTUARIO 

 

Just outside the church, around 100 meters is the Capilla Mortuario that serves as the mortuary chapel of the church. 

When the Spaniards laid out their plan for the walled complex of the pueblo, one of the most important developments was the building of a church cemetery within the complex. 

 

 

This cemetery was situated right around the capilla mortuario which itself served as a place where the funeral wake was held before they are interred. 

A closer look would show a San Miguel Arcangel depicting a promise to guide and protect from the enemy.
As the population of the poblacion continued to grow the cemetery in the walled complex became a problem as the bodily fluids from the deceased seeped through the water system of Argao and thus caused many people to get sick. 

To remedy this, the Spanish authorities in the early nineteenth century mandated that all cemeteries should be moved away from the center of the town in order to avoid further contamination of the pueblo's water source.

  

 

  

PUERTO MARINA

 

Beside the Capila Mortuario is the Puerto Marina, which leads to the sea and to Baluarte de Argao, a resort-like accommodation facing the sea.

 

 

 

 

ST. MICHAEL ARCHANGEL PARISH

The San Miguel el Arcangel Church was built from 1782 to 1798 and is the second church or possibly the third since Argao was listed as a visita of Carcar in 1690

. The construction was attributed to Fr Francisco Espina who was the parish priest at that time. 

On the left side of the church is the bell tower connected by a low structure and on the right side is the convent made of coral stones and wood stands. 

The church and convent roof was destroyed during a typhoon in 1876 and was completely replaced with galvanized iron in 1824.

St. Michael Archangel Parish

Dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, there are more than 20 figures of angels sculpted on its brass-studded portals. 

A good number of religious artifacts have remained in the church. 

The altar (retablo) of the church is still the original. 

The church was renovated for its bicentennial celebration in 1988, and its outer walls were scraped. 

The facade of the church is surmounted by a triangular pediment and divided by pairs of columns resting on tall plinths that are embellished with angels and columns with floral motifs. 

A wide arched entrance leads into the church and angels embellished on the walls on both side of the entrance.

St. Michael Archangel Parish (inside view)

  Despite some renovations and modernizations done to it, the San Miguél Archangel Parish still remains one of the richly furnished churches in southern Cebu.

 The retablo (altar) is painted with gold and silver leaf with the images covered with sheets. 

 

 

The images are also painted with gold leaf and that the original painting was polychrome.

 

14 Spanish Era Pipe Organs

Aside from the unique murals, Argao is also blessed with another treasure that is considered rare throughout the Philippines. 

The Church of Argao possesses one of the remaining 14 Spanish era pipe organs, and is one of the three towns in the whole Cebu province to still have this instrument. 

The pipe organ of Argao, though no longer usable, is estimated by many historians to have been built between the 17th to the 19th century.

 

 

  

 Ask any Argawanon, whether young or old, how the town got its name, and you get a story with various details in different degrees, but the gist is more or less the same. The typical story goes like this:

A fisherman from the outskirts of the town was preparing his fishing nets when suddenly he heard voices from behind. Turning, he saw three white men who were hurriedly approaching him; they later asked the fisherman for the name of the tree which they spotted in abundance near the shorelines.

EXPLORE AND BE A PART OF ARGAO!

Argao has grown from a sleepy fishing and farming town

to a tourist destination today with many promises. 

As modernization and fast-paced developments happen 

to more and more municipalities in the province of Cebu,

in particular, and throughout the rest of the country, 

in general, Argao strives to catch up with the strings 

of changes happening around the Philippine islands,

proving to the rest of the country what it is worth, 

but also very mindful of its rich socio-cultural 

and environmental heritage, 

 

making certain that whatever change happens 

the identity of Argao for which it is known is still preserved,

thus ensuring that the future generations 

can still view Argao in all its historic splendor.

Are you bored?

 

Do you want to go somewhere and get the relaxation you ever wanted?

Do want to be entertained?

 

Do you want to go to the beach and enjoy the beautiful heat of the sun?

 

Do you want to witness the amazing sunrise and sunset?

 

Do you want to see different kinds of animals?

 

Do you want to have a very memorable adventure?

 

Well, Argao is the best place to go!

 

Welcome to ARGAO!

 

 

 

map of Cebu showing the location of Argao

The municipality of Argao is located at the southeastern portion of the province of Cebu, approximately 68 kilometres (42 mi) from Cebu City. Argao is exactly between Cebu City and the southern tip of the island (Santander). It is approximately 26 kilometres (16 mi) from Carcar, from Alcoy, and from Loon which is across the Bohol or Cebu Strait. The rectangle that is Argao (approximately 20 X 40 km) is bounded, clockwise, in the west by Badian, Alcantara, Ronda, and Dumanjug; in the north by Sibonga; in the east by the Bohol Strait; and in the south by Dalaguete.