Pila Historic Town Center
| Pila Historic Town Center | |
|---|---|
| Native name Makasaysayang Kabayanan ng Pila (Tagalog) | |
 Erected in June 1931, the Pila Municipal Center is one of the well-preserved heritage buildings found in the Pila Historic Town Center | |
| Location | Pila, Laguna, Philippines |
| Coordinates | 14°14′01.6″N 121°21′52″E / 14.233778°N 121.36444°E |
| Governing body | Municipal Government of Pila |
  Location of Pila Historic Town Center in Philippines | |
The Pila Historic Town Center is a historic district located at Barangay Santa Clara Norte, Pila, Laguna, Philippines. The district preserves examples of Spanish and American-era architecture found in its town proper laid out with the Spanish colonial town planning system for the Indies and is also a pre-Hispanic archaeological site. The National Historical Institute (now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines) declared a specific portion of Pila as a National Historical Landmark in 2000.[1] The town has been recognized by scholars as a possible contender in UNESCO as a world heritage site.[2][3]
Rationale for Declaration as Historic Town Center
The NHI board resolution cites several reasons for the declaration of certain areas in downtown Pila as National Historical Landmark:[1]
- The present-day town of Pila is a pre-Hispanic center of culture and trade in the Laguna area as proven by clay potteries unearthed in an archaeological site in Pinagbayanan in 1967;
- Spaniards used to refer to Pila as La Noble Villa de Pila in reference to its well-mannered citizens and rich culture;
- As of writing, Pila is one of the few, existing towns in the Philippines following the Spanish colonial town planning system with the town center being the plaza complex surrounded by government and religious infrastructure; and
- Pila features a collection of well-preserved of Spanish and American-era houses, government structures, and church.
Declared Areas
According to the board resolution, the following streets in Brgy. Santa Clara Norte are identified as part of Pila Historic Town Center:[1]
| Street Name | Barangay |
|---|---|
| General Luna Street (North boundary) | Santa Clara Norte |
| Oca Street | |
| Rivera Street | |
| San Antonio Street | |
| Ruiz Street | |
| De Castro Street | |
| Mabini Street (South boundary) | |
| Bonifacio Street (West boundary) | |
| Burzagom Street | |
| M. H. Del Pilar Street (East boundary) |
Notable Built Heritage
See also
Notes
- ^ wmph is an internal identifier used by Wikimedia Philippines to identify the monument. This is not an official identifier, and only shown temporarily in the templates until the government creates an updated complete list.
References
- ^ a b c "Declaring the Town Center of Pila in Laguna as a National Historical Landmark" (PDF). nhcp.gov.ph. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- ^ https://outoftownblog.com/pila-laguna-national-historical-landmark/amp/
- ^ https://mseuf.edu.ph/research/read/1586
- ^ "Pila Museum". www.lagunatravelguide.com. Retrieved 5 April 2015.