Parish Church of Saint James the Greater of Ibaan | Church of Ibaan MarkerParish Church of Saint James the Greater of Ibaan | Church of Ibaan Marker is a Marked Structure, NHCP; Registered Property, Province of Batangas located at Ibaan, Batangas, Region IV-A.
The Catholic church of Ibaan is among the oldest in the province of Batangas. According to the parish records, an illustrious Augustinian priest named Fr. Manuel Grijalbo, the first parish priest of Ibaan, took the initiative of establishing the first stone church. The original plan of the present church was drawn by an architect named Luciano Oliver. It has a "cruciform" design that looked like a cross or crucifix, an iconic column facade in towers for the height. The attractive columns in the form of triangle pediment are at its highest peak in front. Construction was started in 1854 and was finished in 1869. The bell towers and church frontage were completed in 1876.
_____
Marker Text:
Church of Ibaan
In 1874 a chapel was built at Matala, but fire destroyed the convent in 1801. Constituted as a town in 1804, Ibaan had it's first church in 1817. In 1832, it was under Rev. Manuel Grijalbo, O.S.A., afterward Bishop of Nueva Caceres. Constructed by Rev. Manuel Diez Gonzales, O.S.A., in 1854, the present church was completed by Rev. Bruno Laredo, O.S.A., in 1869. Rev Vicente Maril, O.S.A., erected the towers and rebuilt the facade in 1876..
Year Unveiled: 1941