Arch of the Centuries (Arco de los Siglos)

...Arch of the Centuries (Arco de los Siglos) is a triumphal arch of the University of Santo Tomas in Sampaloc, Manila. Half of the this structure, the side facing the UST Main Building is the ruins of the original Intramuros arch while the side that faces España Boulevard is a replica. The arch was formerly the original entrance to the university when the campus was still in Intramuros during the years from 1680 to 1941. The Arch was carried piece-by-piece and was re-erected at the present UST campus’ Plaza Intramuros in 1954. The top of the Arch are panels depicting the life of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the patron saint of the university and of all Catholic educational institutions. On the left pillar of the facade facing España Boulevard is commemorative plaque honoring national hero José Rizal and on the right pillar is another plaque honoring President Manuel Quezon, both being UST alumni.

University of Santo Tomas was founded on 28 April 1611 by Miguel de Benavides, Archbishop of Manila, it’s the oldest continuing university in the Philippines and in Asia. Though before UST there were three older universities in the Philippines: Colegio de Santa Potenciana (1589), Universidad de San Ignacio (1590), Universidad de San Carlos (1595), then Universidad de Santo Tomas (1611) and followed by Colegio de San Juan de Letran (1620) and Colegio de Santa Isabel (1632), these universities are much older than the United States’ oldest Harvard University (1636).
- ka tony
24th of July ‘18