Built from 1587 to 1607, the San Agustin Church is a Roman Catholic structure under the auspices of The Order of St. Augustine, a religious order of brothers within the Catholic Church. The Augustinians utilized this church as a sanctuary, surviving bombings and natural calamities including two world wars and a series of earthquakes in 1645, 1754, 1852, 1863 and 1880. The structure shielded, nursed and protected many lives and became a witness to centuries of tribulations in Manila's history.
The San Agustin Church is one of the four Philippine churches built during the Spanish colonial period to be designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the classification "Baroque Churches of the Philippines." Since 1976, it has also been named as a National Historical Landmark in the Philippines.
San Agustin Church's vaulted ceiling and dome were painted by Italian artists Alberoni and Dibella. This colonial church also retained its original vaulting despite many destructive forces that shelled the church during World War II. The three-dimensional realistic paintings complement the 19th century glass chandeliers that still remained untarnished after centuries of existence. The church also boasts of an ornately carved main door, flooring with tombstones and epitaphs, 14 side chapels, a trompe-l'oeil ceiling, a retablo with a mix of Gothic, Classical and Baroque influences and a playful effect of chiaroscuro lights and shadows perspective within its interiors.
