Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery | Laguna
Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery is considered as National Historical Landmark located in Nagcarlan,
in the province of Laguna. It is a burial site which is 15 meters below a small
chapel; a chapel which was designed for funeral masses in 1845 by Franciscan
Priests lead by Fr. Vicente Velloc. If in other parts of the Philippines, their
burial sites are hanging (Ifugao), in the cave (Palawan) and concrete crypt (in
modern era.) This burial site is unique because of its architectural design and
purpose.
The chapel and the underground
graveyard gave a huge impact in history of the province and even the country. It
was used as the secret meeting place of the Filipino revolutionary armies,
Katipuneros and other members of the KKK. It was also served as the shelter of
the Filipino patriots during the Filipino-American War and Filipino guerellas
during World War II.
Outside, the area is surrounded
by an artistic fence made of concrete and iron works. Most parts of the fence
are covered with bricks which make the structure looks older. In addition to
that, crypts can also be seen in almost half of the fence, which got my
attention. At the center, is an open area covered with a well-maintained green
grass and santan on the side. The concrete pathway made of bricks is the only
one that separates the two parts of the ground and connects the main gate to
the entrance of the chapel.
The door of the chapel is tall,
wide and thick made up of wood. The chapel doesn’t have anything that we always
see in the church. On the right side of the chapel, you can find the stairs
going down to the tomb chamber; the oldest tomb was dated 1886. The walls are
thick and covered with brown bricks.
According to some details, the people buried to this historical landmark
are those came from privileged Catholic families.
