Bacolod Public Plaza

The Bacolod Public Plaza, officially the Plaza del 6 de Noviembre,[2][3] named after the day of the Spanish surrender of Negros Island to the Negros revolutionaries, is one of the notable landmarks of Bacolod, the capital of Negros Occidental, Philippines. It is located in the heart of the downtown area, near the old city hall and across from the San Sebastian Cathedral. The plaza is a trapezoidal park with a belt of trees around the periphery and a gazebo at the center. Scattered within the trees are four circular fountains.

Plaza del Seis de Noviembre[1]
Bacolod Public Plaza
The Bacolod Public Plaza showing the gazebo at the center
Bacolod Public Plaza is located in Philippines
Bacolod Public Plaza
TypePark and Man-made Lagoon
LocationBacolod, Negros Occidental
Coordinates10°40′34″N 122°57′06″E
Area2 hectares (4.9 acres)
Operated byCity Government of Bacolod, Diocese of Bacolod
Open1927 (officially organized)

History
Public plaza arch

When Bacolod was declared as the capital of Negros Island in 1846, the Spanish Colonial Government in Negros set to work in creating a public plaza fronting the current Banco de Oro branch, which used to be the "Casa Real" or the official residence of the Spanish governor. However, the plaza was too small to be constituted that Don Jose Vicente Locsin Gonzaga donated a portion of his property to expand the plaza. These two lots continue to be owned by the City Government of Bacolod, while the other half was only added when the extension of Rizal Street towards San Juan Street cut off a portion of the churchyard of San Sebastian Cathedral.[4]

A view of the San Sebastian Cathedral (at the background) taken from the Bacolod Public Plaza

His Excellency James McCloskey, Bishop of Jaro, which Bacolod previously belonged, in behalf of Monsignor Maurice Foley,[5] the parish priest of Bacolod, granted a perpetual usufruct to the Municipal Government of Bacolod for the management of the property cut off from San Sebastian, on March 22, 1922. The gazebo/bandstand was constructed in 1926 and inaugurated in 1927, as part of the plaza's reorganization to its current form as a place for recreation, political, spiritual and cultural activities. The bandstand is inscribed along the sides of the roof with the names of Western classical music composers Beethoven, Wagner, Haydn, and Mozart.

Festival

The plaza is the heart of the MassKara Festival celebration.[6] The MassKara Festival is a week-long celebration held each year in Bacolod every third weekend of October nearest October 19, the city's Charter Anniversary. The Bacolod public plaza is the final destination of MassKara street dancing competition which is the highlight of the celebration.[7]

Park within the Bacolod Public Plaza

See also

References
  1. "Resolution No. 856, series 2010" (PDF). City Government of Bacolod.
  2. "Plaza del 6 de Noviembre". Visayan Daily Star. Archived from the original on 2014-07-25.
  3. "No permit". The Daily Guardian. Archived from the original on 2016-08-20. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
  4. "Plaza del 6 de Noviembre". Visayan Daily Star. Archived from the original on 2014-07-25.
  5. "Resolution No. 856, series 2010" (PDF). City Government of Bacolod.
  6. Masskara Festival @ Bacolod Public Plaza,news/city.plaza.reinvented.for.masskara.festival.html Sunstar Archived 2012-09-13 at archive.today, October 05, 2008 edition
  7. Pres. Arroyo @ Bacolod Public Plaza,News Today, October 01, 2008 edition
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