Fort Santa Isabel

Fort Santa Isabel
  • Kutang Santa Isabel (Filipino)
  • Fuerza de Santa Isabel (Spanish)
Fort Santa Isabel is located in Palawan
Fort Santa Isabel
Location within Palawan
Alternative namesTaytay Fort
General information
Town or cityTaytay, Palawan
CountryPhilippines
Coordinates10°49′41.9″N 119°31′3.9″E / 10.828306°N 119.517750°E / 10.828306; 119.517750
Named forIsabella II of Spain
Completed
  • 1667 (original wooden structure)
  • 1748 (current limestone fort)
Renovated2018–2019
Technical details
MaterialCoral limestone
Renovating team
Architect(s)Joel Rico

Fort Santa Isabel (Filipino: Kutang Santa Isabel;[1] Spanish: Fuerza de Santa Isabel), also known as Taytay Fort, is a coastal fortification in the town of Taytay of Palawan, Philippines.

History

NHCP historical marker

Background

Fort Santa Isabel was originally built in 1667 as a wooden palisade under the Augustinian Recollect priests. It was named in honor of Isabella II of Spain.[2]

Through the efforts of Governor General Fernando Manuel de Bustillo,[1] the structure was replaced in 1738 by a coral limestone fort and was primarily used by the Spanish as a defensive structure against Muslim raiders.[2]

2018–2019 restoration

The municipal government of Taytay, with help from the National Historical Commission, commenced renovation works on the fort in 2018 as part of its Estrella del Norte Heritage Development Project. The project, led by heritage architect Joel Rico, was set to be finished by May 1, 2019.[2][needs update]

References

  1. ^ a b Kutang Santa Isabel [Fort Santa Isabel] (Marker) (in Filipino). Fort Santa Isabel in Taytay, Palawan: National Historical Commission. 1993.
  2. ^ a b c Fabro, Keith Anthony (10 February 2018). "350-year-old Spanish fort in Palawan to undergo restoration". Rappler. Retrieved 10 May 2018.