San Sebastian Church
San Sebastian Church
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Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles143 reviews
Excellent
64
Very good
59
Average
14
Poor
3
Terrible
3

YuppieLionheart
Philippines305 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023
San Sebastian church has a unique gothic architecture which makes it different from other historical churches in the Philippines. it is the only all-steel church in East Asia. It is located in the busy city of Manila and accessible by public utility vehicles.
Written July 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RaringtoGo8
Toronto, Canada215 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
I love this church. Its spires tower above nearby buidlings and call you in. Inside it's cool and quiet for prayer and contemplation.
Written May 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

efrenr916
Taguig City, Philippines314 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2019
Uniquely the only architecture thats different from all other historic churches in the Philippines. While inside is a typical church interior, the building cladded with steel makes it a whole lot different.
Written December 10, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ains T
Manila, Philippines42 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019 • Family
More so than the other well known churches in Intramuros, the San Sebastián church is spectacular. Must-go when in Manila.
Written July 28, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

leah
Mandaluyong, Philippines763 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2019 • Family
How can a Gothic church be made of steel? San Sebastian Church looks entirely modern from the outside - we even espied some rust in parts easily visible to the naked eye. And it's said that this church is the only all-steel church in Asia. But the rust bothered me - if there's some on the outside, there must be lots of it on the inside! We all know how insidious rust can be in terms of being destructive.

Another interesting tidbit about this church is that it was designed by Gustave Eiffel, Yup of the famed Eiffel Tower! Maybe. But I can be sure that this church obviously had strong European influence aside from French design.

First off, the Philippines did not have a steel industry in the 1880s. Europe did - and in fact all the steel used in building this church was imported from Belgium. Of course, our Spanish conquerors had a big hand in building this church since we did not succeed in driving them off until 1898.

To represent Asia, the Chinese also had a lot to do with this church. Filipinos were trading with the Chinese since before the Spaniards came and lots of them stayed and became extremely wealthy Chinoys. Which begs the question why are they so quiet given recent events?

Anyway, San Sebastian has a colored history. And since I'm big on history, I'm very much drawn to this church. From Mendiola Bridge, it's graceful steel spires peek and demand to be noticed amid buildings and rooftops.

Inside the church is a wonder of cathedral design. Of course I expected the stained glass windows depicting Bible stories, the high ribbed vaulted ceilings, the medieval looking pulpit and architectural details, the paintings and sculptures.

From cold steel to warm romantic Gothic - hope the rust is kept at bay so that generations more can enjoy the looks and history of this church.
Written June 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Judith B
38 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2018 • Couples
It was the perfect church for my dream wedding! When the wedding photos came out, a lot of people thought I got married in Europe. The interiors are indeed amazing. The mass was very solemn against the intricate details inside the all-steel church. I'm so blessed to have my wedding in my favorite church! A dream come true indeed!
Written May 8, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

joseaK4955AJ
Buenos Aires, Argentina46 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2019 • Solo
A very accessible church, quite simple in its architectural design that attracts lost of people for masses, weddings, etc. The statue of St. Sebastian is both unusual and beautiful
Written March 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Traveler2Arabia
Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia7 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2018 • Friends
Went there for a wedding. The Church is filthy, dirty pews, dirty floors, dark and dingy. The location is problematic, little parking and unfriendly staff. Every thing came with a Peso price tag. It needs a lot of something to bring me back.. YUK. Skip this place.
Written December 21, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DincerP
Philadelphia, PA295 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2018 • Business
It looks, feels, sounds and smells like just another church...but when you step inside and touch the walls (or when your tour guide tells you to do so) that you realize that this is no ordinary church. It is all metal. That is very unusual, and I understand that it is the only one of its kind in Asia. Looking closely, you do see it is rusting in certain places. It is amazing how much real masonry the whose thing looks until you touch and known and realize that it is not.
Written November 20, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CounselorEK
Dumaguete City, Philippines71 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2018 • Family
This church is a classic and is very beautiful. A lot of weddings are held here. It is definitely one of the top churches to go to in Manila.
Written October 24, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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San Sebastian Church, Manila

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