{"id":7230,"date":"2019-03-29T10:10:47","date_gmt":"2019-03-29T10:10:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/queencitycebu.com\/?p=7230"},"modified":"2019-04-04T00:19:03","modified_gmt":"2019-04-04T00:19:03","slug":"colon-obelisk-cebuanos-overlooked-heritage-architecture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/queencitycebu.com\/colon-obelisk-cebuanos-overlooked-heritage-architecture\/","title":{"rendered":"Colon Obelisk: Cebuano\u2019s Overlooked Heritage Architecture"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today let\u2019s brush up on our Cebuano history, shall we? Locals and other Filipino natives may already know about this. Let\u2019s teach our friends who didn\u2019t pay much attention in their history subjects. The famous Colon Street in Cebu is known to be the oldest street in the country. I think it\u2019s pretty sweet! I also got to experience the awesomeness of this whole place growing up \u2013 it really gives you that antiquated vibe.<\/p>\n

Colon Street in Cebu has evolved so much over time. Can you try closing your eyes then imagine how fascinating this street once was? It was once the center of all businesses \u2013 high class boutiques and movie theaters. It is now filled with shops and jeepneys that pass through the whole street right through day and night.<\/p>\n

READ: Casa Gorordo in Cebu\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Colon Street\u2019s origins trace back to the town plan by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. This busy street was designed as a part of the first Spanish settlement in Cebu, the Villa de San Miguel. Colon was named after Crist\u00f3bal Col\u00f3n (Spanish translation for Christopher Columbus) \u2013 the Italian explorer who made the discovery of the \u201cnew world\u201d. In 1565, they built an obelisk to be a reminder of how and when it all began for the Cebuanos\u2019 Colon.<\/p>\n

Colon Obelisk<\/h2>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Colon Obelisk in Colon Street \/\/ Photo by Jonathan Blaza<\/p>\n

\"Photo

Photo by Chris Jun Teatro<\/p><\/div>\n

An obelisk<\/strong> situated at the tip of Colon Street \u2013 that which signifies its historical origin. A pillar made of granite that stands tall and is a great symbol in our history. The writings on the obelisk will give you a good sense of the historical events that took place in that area.<\/p>\n

READ: The Oldest Structures in Cebu City<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Now some of you might be wondering what an obelisk is and what it\u2019s for. An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, becomes narrower type of monument with a tip that\u2019s shaped like a pyramid. Obelisks play a significant role in the religion and were well thought in the architecture of the ancient Egyptians. The Greeks used the word \u201cobeliskos\u201d to describe them and it reached Latin and ultimately English.<\/p>\n

Looking for something to do this weekend? Why not go around Colon and visit these historical landmarks and museums. Cebu City has several museums within the old district \u2013 many of these were ancient homes turned into museums. You can start this with the Colon Obelisk. \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Photo

Photo by Chris Jun Teatro<\/p><\/div>\n

READ: Tres de Abril Marker\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The definition and description of an obelisk leaves us the impression that the Colon Obelisk plays a big role in our Cebuano history. I believe that we should exert more efforts in preserving these historical landmarks and heritage architectures. So our future children and their children would be fortunate enough to still see the actual structures and not just read about them in books or the internet. I hope that they may also get to feel proud of our people\u2019s past and how we came to be.<\/p>\n

How to get there<\/h2>\n