Peace of the Past in Argao

There are many things that Argao is known for, among others there’s the beach, the food, and the heritage resources. Among the heritage resources, however, its cemetery is probably the least popular. It is not common for tourists to tour cemeteries of small towns, but visiting Argao’s cemetery is actually worthwhile.

Argao’s cemetery was built during the Spanish period. It was a public cemetery owned by the Catholic Church. A few mausoleums were built for prominent families but what made the cemetery interesting are the rows of concrete crosses laid in grid over the field instead of the usual stone slabs on the ground. The names of the deceased, including their dates of birth and death, are etched on the concrete crosses. The field is also surrounded by a wall of niches and some structures built during the Spanish era such as its gate and its main chapel with only the façade remaining.

The cemetery is currently being redeveloped. Using the façade of the old chapel, a new chapel had been built. The quaint mausoleum of the Kintanars had been converted into a gazebo which acts as a centerpiece to the whole development and the Spanish era gate and fence had been torn down. Despite these changes the place still transports you back in time

Another point of interest outside the Spanish cemetery is the burial ground of the Kintanar family. The place is surrounded by a moat and is sometimes referred to by locals as an island cemetery.