Juan Luna Shrine

ILOCOS NORTE ATTRACTION: JUAN LUNA SHRINE

The surge for freedom does not always have to be done cruelly and violently, and this has been genuinely proven by the Luna brothers, Juan and Antonio Luna. These brothers joined the struggle for the independence of the country just by making use of paint, canvass, and mathematical abilities using their talented hands through artwork and Science.

Do you know that there is a place that caters to all the facts about one of the Luna brothers? This is the Juan Luna Shrine, located in Badoc Ilocos Norte. More than the usual tourist spots of the place like the Malacanang of the North, Paoay Sand Dunes, St. Augustine Church, and many more, this is also a must-visit place if you are up to rekindling your nationalism and the historical vibe in you. But why should people choose this place as the home of the Juan Luna Shrine? This is for the simple reason that Badoc is the birthplace of the artist Juan Luna.

The Juan Luna Shrine is a reconstruction of the two-story house in which the patriot and foremost Filipino painter were born on October 24, 1857. It is said that the original house burned down in 1861. But it was fortunate that ruins remained in the place which serves as the basis for the reconstruction of the shrine.

His old home was turned into a place haven of all the old stuff that belongs to him and his family. Paintings, clothes, objects, and a lot more. All these provide the tourists with a deeper understanding of what life and way of living look like during his time. Visitors often come out of the place feeling renewed as well as strong in the aspect of nationalism. They think that the more they know about history, the more they develop an intense feeling towards their motherland.

The Juan Luna Shrine is a two-story house built using solid bricks as well as wood (molave). On the first floor, random collections are on display. While on the second floor, the place is divided into different quarters, the living room, bedroom, chapel, and the terrace. Of course, there are also bits of materials associated with Juan Luna’s brother, Antonio Luna. There is a displayed sword, uniforms, and a letter he wrote. Visitors would surely feel the different yet amusing vibe of the shrine as they visit.

The main entrance of the Juan Luna Shrine opens into the alcove just before the family gallery. History tells us that Luna was the son of Joaquin Luna and Laureana Vovicio. It is said that Luna was instrumental in placing Philippine art and culture on the world map. He began his formal art training at the Ateneo Municipal Escuela de Bellas Artes and Escuela Nautica in Manila. In 1877 he left for Madrid, Spain, to continue his studies at the Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. It was during this period that he painted “Dafne y Chloe,” which won the Silver Palette Award from the Centro Artistico-Literario de Manila.

The paintings posted in this shrine are just copies of the originals, and yet that did not remove the fact that those images are still products of talented hands. All are featuring different emotions from something horrible to something unfair or unjust. Indeed, a visit to this place would evoke thousands of questions and feelings.

The author with the tour guide at the back portion of Juan Luna  Shrine

If you are interested to know where the original paintings are currently at, take a look at the list below.
• National Museum of the Philippines (Manila): Spolarium(1884), The Parisian Life (1892), and La Bulaquena (1895).
• Ayala Museum (Makati): Lady at the Racetrack (1880) and La Marquesa de Monte Olivar (1881)
• Eugenio Lopez Memorial Museum (Pasig): El Violinista (1876), Espana y Filipinas (1886), Ensuenos de Amor (1980), and Una Chula II (1885).
• Malacanang Palace (Manila): El Pacto de Sangre (The Blood Compact, 1886)
• Senate Hall (Madrid): The Battle of Lepanto (1887)
• Museo de Prado (Spain): The Death of Cleopatra (1881)
• Personal Collections:
o Legarda Mansion (Manila): Untitled Painting of a Woman in Black Dress
o Rosalinda Orosa Collection: Tampuhan (1895)
o Don Luis Araneta Collection: Odalisque (1885)

If you would like to know more about the life of the Luna brother specifically Juan Luna, then visit the Juna Luna Shrine at Ilocos.

ILOCOS TRAVEL SERIES

• ILOCOS NORTE TRAVEL GUIDE
• VIGAN TRAVEL GUIDE
• ILOCOS, DIY ITINERARY
•  PAOAY SAND DUNES, 4×4, SANDBOARDING
•  MALACANANG OF THE NORTH
•  BATAC ILOCOS, EMPANADA, MARCOS MUSEUM AND MAUSOLEUM
•  TINOBONG, BANTAY CHURCH
•  BALUARTE
•  SECRET GARDEN AND PAGBURNAYAN
•  CALLE CRISOLOGO; VIGAN DANCING FOUNTAIN
•  CRISOLOGO MUSEUM AND SEQUIA MANSION
•  PAOAY CHURCH
•  ILOCOS MUSEUM, ST. WILLIAM CATHEDRAL, SINKING BELL, HOTEL
•   BISCOCHO, SALT MAKING
•  CAPE BOJEADOR
•  KAPURPURAWAN ROCK FORMATION
•  BANGUI WINDMILL
•  KABIGAN FALLS
•  PATAPAT VIADUCT, PARAISO NI ANTON
•  BLUE LAGOON, ZIPLINE