Cebu

Old Roads Unrevealed

World
Asia
Southeast Asia
Philippines
Visayas Region
Cebu City, Cebu
Geography

Located between 9925' and 11915' latitude and between

123913' longitude in the center of the Philippine
archipelago

Cebu is 365 miles south of Manila and can be reached

in an hour through air travel.
Topography
Cebu is characterized by narrow coastlines, limestone
plateaus, coastal plains but with predominant rolling
hills and rugged mountain ranges traversing the
northern and southern lengths of the island. Although
Cebu's steep mountains reach over 1,000 meters, the
island lacks substantial forest cover. In the towns of
Bogo, San Remigio, Medellin and DaanBantayan at the
northern tip of the province, considerable flat tracts of
land are found.
History
On April 7, 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand
Magellan landed in Cebu. He was welcomed by Rajah
Humabon, the king of Cebu, who together with his
wife and about 700 native islanders, were converted
into Catholicism on April 14, 1521. Magellan, however,
failed to successfully claim the island for the crown of
Spain, having been killed by Lapu-Lapu, a king
in Mactan Island on April 27, 1521 in the Battle of
Mactan.
Culture
Cebu City is a significant cultural centre in the Philippines.
The city's most famous landmark is Magellan's Cross. This
cross, now housed in a chapel, is reputed to have been
planted by Ferdinand Magellan when he arrived in the
Philippines in 1521. It was encased in hollow tindalo
wood in 1835 upon the order of the Augustinian Bishop
Santos Gómez Marañon to prevent devotees from taking it
home chip by chip. The same bishop restored the present
template or kiosk, located at the present Magallanesstreet
between the City Hall and Colegio del Santo Niño. Revered
by Filipinos, the Magellan's Cross is a symbol of
Christianity in the Philippines.
Sinulog
The Sinulog festival is one of the grandest and most
colorful festivals in the Philippines with a very rich
history. The main festival is held each year on the third
Sunday of January in Cebu City to honor the Santo
Niño, or the child Jesus, who used to be the patron
saint of the whole province of Cebu (since in the
Catholic faith Jesus is not a saint, but God). It is
essentially a dance ritual which remembers the
Filipino people’s pagan past and their acceptance of
Christianity.
MAGELLAN’S CROSS
Colon Street
Colon in History
Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño
Sinulog
Fort San Pedro
Cebu City – Today
End