UST Main Building (Manila)
Philippines /
National Capital Region /
Manila /
España Boulevard (N170)(R-7)
World
/ Philippines
/ National Capital Region
/ Manila
World / Philippines / Metropolitan Manila / Manila
administrative building, educational building, Beaux-Arts (architecture), Renaissance Revival (architecture)
Universidad de Santo Tomás Edificio Principal
As the visitor stands by this monument, he sees an obstructed view of the University's Main Building. Massive, imposing, seemingly solid, this famous city landmark overwhelms the visitor. Unpainted and gray, bleached by the elements, the rugged stonewalls have acquired an aura of its own. It has the distinction of being the first earthquake-proof building in the country. Designed by Fr. Roque Ruaño, O.P., priest and engineer, the building is composed of forty independent structures separated from each other by a gap of one inch, which is filled with loose cement. One of these structures rises beyond the level of the fourth floor to form the tower in the center of the huge box-like stone mass. A cross atop the tower rivets the gaze of the beholder. It promises the student a Christian perspective, a Christian formation. It symbolizes the University's mission to impart knowledge in the sacred and civil sciences.
Slightly in front of, and below the tower is the "Tria Haec" clustered around a giant clock in the center facade of the fourth floor. The hooded and robed figure "Faith" brandishes a cross up high and occupies the top of the clock. Lower and to the left of the clock stands "Hope" and to the right, "Charity". All these statues communicate with their varied expressive poses magnified in stone. They teach in silence.
Facing the building, the onlooker sees on the left of the "Tria Haec", a few meters away, a trio of statues representing theologians and historians: St. Augustine, the Doctor of the Church, St. Raymond de Peñafort, O.P., doctor of Canon Law, and Vincent de Beauvais, O.P. French historian. Three figures facing P. Noval but visible from the front, are those of the three great tragedians: the Spanish Calderon de la Barca, the Greek Sophocles, and the English bard Shakepeare. As the beholder looks at the statues to the right of the "Tria Haec", he encounters the philosophers: Aristotle, St. Albert the Great and Plato. Three statues facing A.H.Lacson St. are those of the playwrights: the Spanish Lope de Vega, the Greek comic Aristophanes, and the French neo-classical comedian Moliere. Fascinated by these gigantic figures mounted on separate pedestals, with varied dress and gestures, the student eager to learn may ask, "These intellectual giants have been singled out. What have they contributed to understanding? How have they affected the human spirit?" and his quest for knowledge is on.
One crosses the street from the Benavides monument to get closer to the massive, wooden doors of the Main Building. On the surrounding walls near the door is recorded history, with its great moments, both exultant and tragic. One bronze plaque recounts the foundation of the University in 1611. Another, the momentous visit of Pope Paul VI in 1970 ( for how many universities ever get visited by a pope, much less by two popes as is the experience of UST?) and still another plaque recounts the conversion of the university into a concentration camp by the Japanese Imperial Forces in World War II. Here 10,000 Americans, British and other nationals were interned from January 1942 to February 1945. Here they were starved, dehumanized, left to die. The UST Main Building probably hides within its walls other secrets of history, many of them unrecorded.
Statues atop Main Building
Standing at the pedestals on the fourth floor of the Main Building are statues symbolizing the spiritual and intellectual aspiration of the University. A creation of the Italian Sculptor Francesco Monti, a faculty member in the College of Architecture and Fine Arts, they were installed between 1949 and 1953. Above the main doorway of the building is a group of three statues symbolizing Faith, Hope and Charity, also known as Tria Haec. Facing the building, one sees to the left of the Tria Haec, Fr. Vincent de Beauvais, O.P., St. Augustine, St. Raymond de Peñafort, O.P. To the right are the philosophers Aristotle, St. Albert The Great and Plato. On the side facing P. Noval are the three great writers of tragedy Calderon de la Barca, Sophocles and William Shakespeare. On the opposite side are the great playwrights Lope de Vega, Aristophanes and Moliere.
As the visitor stands by this monument, he sees an obstructed view of the University's Main Building. Massive, imposing, seemingly solid, this famous city landmark overwhelms the visitor. Unpainted and gray, bleached by the elements, the rugged stonewalls have acquired an aura of its own. It has the distinction of being the first earthquake-proof building in the country. Designed by Fr. Roque Ruaño, O.P., priest and engineer, the building is composed of forty independent structures separated from each other by a gap of one inch, which is filled with loose cement. One of these structures rises beyond the level of the fourth floor to form the tower in the center of the huge box-like stone mass. A cross atop the tower rivets the gaze of the beholder. It promises the student a Christian perspective, a Christian formation. It symbolizes the University's mission to impart knowledge in the sacred and civil sciences.
Slightly in front of, and below the tower is the "Tria Haec" clustered around a giant clock in the center facade of the fourth floor. The hooded and robed figure "Faith" brandishes a cross up high and occupies the top of the clock. Lower and to the left of the clock stands "Hope" and to the right, "Charity". All these statues communicate with their varied expressive poses magnified in stone. They teach in silence.
Facing the building, the onlooker sees on the left of the "Tria Haec", a few meters away, a trio of statues representing theologians and historians: St. Augustine, the Doctor of the Church, St. Raymond de Peñafort, O.P., doctor of Canon Law, and Vincent de Beauvais, O.P. French historian. Three figures facing P. Noval but visible from the front, are those of the three great tragedians: the Spanish Calderon de la Barca, the Greek Sophocles, and the English bard Shakepeare. As the beholder looks at the statues to the right of the "Tria Haec", he encounters the philosophers: Aristotle, St. Albert the Great and Plato. Three statues facing A.H.Lacson St. are those of the playwrights: the Spanish Lope de Vega, the Greek comic Aristophanes, and the French neo-classical comedian Moliere. Fascinated by these gigantic figures mounted on separate pedestals, with varied dress and gestures, the student eager to learn may ask, "These intellectual giants have been singled out. What have they contributed to understanding? How have they affected the human spirit?" and his quest for knowledge is on.
One crosses the street from the Benavides monument to get closer to the massive, wooden doors of the Main Building. On the surrounding walls near the door is recorded history, with its great moments, both exultant and tragic. One bronze plaque recounts the foundation of the University in 1611. Another, the momentous visit of Pope Paul VI in 1970 ( for how many universities ever get visited by a pope, much less by two popes as is the experience of UST?) and still another plaque recounts the conversion of the university into a concentration camp by the Japanese Imperial Forces in World War II. Here 10,000 Americans, British and other nationals were interned from January 1942 to February 1945. Here they were starved, dehumanized, left to die. The UST Main Building probably hides within its walls other secrets of history, many of them unrecorded.
Statues atop Main Building
Standing at the pedestals on the fourth floor of the Main Building are statues symbolizing the spiritual and intellectual aspiration of the University. A creation of the Italian Sculptor Francesco Monti, a faculty member in the College of Architecture and Fine Arts, they were installed between 1949 and 1953. Above the main doorway of the building is a group of three statues symbolizing Faith, Hope and Charity, also known as Tria Haec. Facing the building, one sees to the left of the Tria Haec, Fr. Vincent de Beauvais, O.P., St. Augustine, St. Raymond de Peñafort, O.P. To the right are the philosophers Aristotle, St. Albert The Great and Plato. On the side facing P. Noval are the three great writers of tragedy Calderon de la Barca, Sophocles and William Shakespeare. On the opposite side are the great playwrights Lope de Vega, Aristophanes and Moliere.
Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Santo_Tomas_Main_Building
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 14°36'36"N 120°59'21"E
- Alfredo M. Velayo Building/UST Carpark 0.1 km
- St. Martin de Porres Building 0.2 km
- Albertus Magnus Building 0.2 km
- Benavides Building 0.2 km
- Roque Ruaño Building 0.3 km
- Sister Wenceslas Wing 2.4 km
- Saint Thomas Building 2.8 km
- UE - Caloocan College of Engineering 5.7 km
- New Era University - Main Building 9 km
- New Era University - Integrated School Building 9 km
- University of Santo Tomas
- Plaza Benavides 0.2 km
- Football Field 0.2 km
- University of Santo Tomas Athletic Field and Open Spaces 0.2 km
- Kapatiran-Kaunlaran Foundation, Inc. 0.5 km
- Far Eastern University 0.7 km
- NLEx - Midblock Toll Plaza 0.8 km
- Sampaloc 1 km
- Santa Cruz 1 km
- Manila Bay 23 km
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