Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine (Kawit, Cavite)

Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine is the house of the Philippines first president Emilio Aguinaldo and the house where the proclamation of Philippine Independence was announced. It was a pleasure to be able to visit a big piece of history. Located in the heart of Kawit, Cavite this monumental house stands today as a national treasure that is open for public viewing for free. The people who manage the house do accept amounts as donation for the maintenance of this national treasure, in fact, when I visited the place, restoration was on going. This blog only shows a few of the wide features of this amazing house.

One of the strange features of the house are the presence of a gargoyle of carabaos.

I was lucky enough that the house was not busy that they with very few visiting people including myself. Very few that I was privileged to have a chance to take a free tour through Ate Ann (one of the staffs).

So I entered the house with full of excitement. I was very excited I almost forgot about my camera. I entered alone and it felt eerie. A little dark inside the house because it was gloomy outside.I first noticed the bowling lane inside the house. Later I found out that bowling was the favorite sport of the late Emilio Aguinaldo. Then walking on I then noticed this canon (below) lying at the center of the next room where artifacts from the past are reserved. This was just a replica as I have read.

I roomed around and after going back where I entered the room of artifacts, I was amazed by the next artifact I saw. The sword of Emilio Aguinaldo. The sword was made from Toledo, Spain during the 19th century and was formerly owned by Spanish General Ernesto Aguirre.

The sword fell when the Spaniards retreated from a fight against the forces General Emilio Aguinaldo. Many artifacts where in the gallery. The flag of the Philippines, the dress worn by Gen. Aguinaldo, the badges of the ‘Katipuneros’, Aguinaldo’s guns and bullets and many more.
Moving forward, I came across the worn out “Himno Nacional Filipino – Para Canto y Piano,” the artifact before going up the stairs up the second floor.

The second floor was wide and full of rooms. There were also a lot of secret doors that lead you to other parts of the house and event to a tunnel to the church. Ate Ann said that these doors were designed and used by General Aguinaldo to escape if they were attacked. One of the things that attracted me the most is the piano of the family.

It was old but it was beautiful. It seats near the balcony where the proclamation of Philippine independence was declared.

Then I met Ate Ann, she showed me many of the things that few were able to see. She said that these rooms has to be kept closed because when visit tours come, especially elementary or high school tours, kids may damage the structure or the kids might get hurt by falling or tipping.
So she guided me to the third and the rest of the floors. I was so amazed that my sweat was dripping all over me while my smile never stopped showing. We passed by some more rooms. The stairs were very steep. But it was not that scary to climb. The structure was sturdy.

This was where look-outs are stationed in order to see if enemies are coming.
We moved back down and Ate Ann showed me the Room of General Emilio Aguinaldo. The Grand Room.

It was very wide. It has a safe, an old one made from wood. It also has a grand comfort room. And it also has a lot of secret doors that lead to other parts of the floor and even lead to the indoor swimming pool of the family.

General Emilio Aguinaldo’s bed was wide but not long. Ate Ann jokingly said that the former general was short, as short as I do, just around 5’4″ tall. After a lot of talking, she finally showed me the way out to Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo’s resting place. I went down and took a photo of it for myself. 😀
I found my way to General Aguinaldo’s Car.

The entire place inside was a memory I will always remember. It was beautiful. Not your ideal dream house but will always be a part of history.