Manila Cathedral

Click to view the large size

Wiki:

The first cathedral, made of nipa and bamboo, was constructed in 1581. It was damaged by a typhoon in 1582 and razed by fire in 1583.

The second cathedral, which was made of stone, was built in 1592. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1600.

Construction of the third cathedral began in 1584. The new structure, consisting of three naves and seven chapels, was blessed in 1614. It was toppled by another earthquake which shook Manila in 1645.

The magnificent fourth cathedral was constructed from 1654 to 1671. It was severely damaged in 1863 by a very strong earthquake that also damaged the Palace of the Governor General of the Philippines. In 1880, another earthquake toppled its bell tower, rendering the cathedral towerless until 1959.

The fifth cathedral was constructed from 1870–1879. It was solemnly blessed in December of 1879. The cross atop the central dome is a reference point of astronomical longitudes of the archipelago. This incarnation of the cathedral was reduced to rubble by the bombing in 1945 during the Battle of Manila.

How I took it:
Settings: f9 | 1/160  , 3 shots bracketed

Gear: Canon 7D + Sigma 10-20mm, hand held

Post Process:

• Stacked and aligned 3 pictures and tone mapped in Photomatix
• Cleaned in Photoshop CS4
• added texture  in Photoshop CS4
• some dodging and burning

Thanks for viewing!

/Mike