El Gran Baluarte

El Gran Baluarte and in front of it is the statue of Jose Rizal

Spaniards built watchtowers to safeguard their areas. That’s why a lot of watchtowers can be found in the whole island of Cebu, from the watchtowers found in Bantayan Island, to the ones found far south, like this one in Boljoon.

What’s special about this watchtower, though, is the fact that it’s the largest watchtower in Cebu. Built in 1808, it has withstood many calamities and even the destructive Bohol earthquake which shook the country last October 2013.

Like I said, it was built in 1808 as a fortification by a priest named Fr. Julian Bermejo, OSA. The El Gran Baluarte served as Bermejo’s command center during the Moro raids as he defended the Visayan seas. On its ground floor, there is room where it was once a prison cell, but is now a gallery. You could see the paintings the prisoners painted on the wall. Now, the El Gran Baluarte serves as a bell tower.

There was no caretaker available at the time I went there, too. But luckily I met this old man who regularly rang the bells in El Gran Baluarte every 9 in the morning. He allowed us to make a quick tour of the place.

As I entered it, I was at awe at how big it looked from the inside. To get to the second floor, you had to climb two flights of stairs. Despite the loud creaking sounds the stairs make with every step—it made me quite nervous, honestly—it still seems secure enough to last many more generations.

View from the window of the El Gran Baluarte

From the top, you could see the whole parish plaza. Plus, you get to have a really relaxing view of the sea and the mountains around! No wonder Bermejo defended the town well; it really has a panoramic view of the surroundings!