San Sebastian Basilica is an all-metal building, whose hand-painted interiors were designed to look like stone. It is the first and only of its kind in the country, and one of a handful of such churches in the world. It was listed on the World Monuments Fund’s Watchlist of Cultural Heritage at Risk in 2000 and 2010, was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1973, and a National Cultural Treas
ure in 2011. The basilica is owned and run by the Order of the Augustinian Recollects, and is a national shrine of Our Lady of Mt. From design to ex*****on, San Sebastian was an international collaboration. Its designer was Spanish, 3 million pounds of metal were forged in Belgian foundries, foundations were built by a Frenchman, the floors by a Chinese, foreman was British. Finally, its interiors were carefully handpainted to look like stone, with remarkable wall paintings of statues and saints. It was executed by the Academia de Dibujo, Pintura y Arte, headed by Lorenzo Rocha, a multi awarded painter with few remaining works locally. The basilica’s walls and ceiling also feature the work of Isabelo Tampinco and Felix Martinez, who went on to become celebrated turn of the century artists. Designed for strength, lightness and resistance to earthquakes which toppled the older stone San Sebastian churches, this Basilica has withstood over 11 major earthquakes since its inauguration in 1891. But it is now under threat by over 300 leaks, which has corroded many areas, creating holes in columns and walls, severe rust that flakes off the decorative paint, and causing over 40 kilos of steel to fall. An international team of conservators, structural and geotechnical engineers, architects, historians, and fine arts conservators are banding together to study the problems and find solutions to prolong the lifespan of this building while retaining as many original components as practicable. Together with its custodians, the Augustinian Recollects, the team is close to completing this assessment and embarking on its emergency repairs. This is the first phase of a comprehensive 10 year restoration program.
