Mactan Shrine

Also called Liberty Shrine or Lapu-Lapu Shrine is built in honor of  Datu Lapu-Lapu, Ferdinand Magellan and the Battle of Mactan. In the site the first thing you'll see when you enter is the Magellan Shrine, built in memory of the  Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

Magellan Shrine from the Mactan Shrine's entrance

Ferdinand Magellan and his crew are the first Spaniards to arrive in the Philippines.  The rajah of Cebu, Rajah Humabon, accepted Magellan and was baptized as Christian along with his wife, Hara Amihan.  As a friendly token, Magellan gave a gift to the rajah's wife the figure of the Holy Child, later known as the Sto. Nino de Cebu.

The shore said to be where Magellan's crew leaped

Decoration at the shore of Mactan. Not just sure if it's always there or there's an event.

Other rajahs and chieftains of Cebu accepted Magellan except for Datu Lapu-Lapu, one of the chieftains of Mactan Island.  He refused to accept the authority of the rajah when he asked all chieftains to provide food to Magellan's crew and must convert to Christianity.

Datu Lapu-Lapu Shrine facing the shore of Mactan

Rajah Humabon and Datu Zula asked Magellan to see Lapu-Lapu and force him to obey.  At the night before the Battle of Mactan, Magellan sent a message to Lapu-Lapu.  The message says, "He will be their friend if they obey the King of Spain, recognize him as their sovereign and pay a tribute. If they wished otherwise, they will then see how their lances wounded."

Historical landmark for Lapu-Lapu

 

Datu Lapu-Lapu answered that if the Spaniards have lances, they have lances of bamboo and stake hardened with fire. When the morning came, Magellan's crew leaped and walked to the water to the shore and was greeted by more than one thousand five hundred natives. As soon as they saw the Spaniards, the natives attacked them. The shots from a distance by the musketeers and crossbow-men are useless to them.

Historical landmark for Magellan

Magellan then tried to scare them by burning the houses, but that just added to their fury.  They charged upon them and shot Magellan's leg by an arrow with poison.  Too late to retreat, Magellan along with few of his men were killed by Datu Lapu-Lapu's warriors. His body was taken by the warriors and never returned. It's said that he was killed in the same spot where his shrine is built.

Painting of the the Battle of Mactan just behind the historical landmark

After the battle, the rajah of Cebu asked Datu Lapu-Lapu for Magellan's body but he refused. He even offered him as much merchandise as he wants just to return the body, but his reply was:

"We will not give away the captain's body for all the riches in the world, because his body is the trophy of our victory against invaders of our shore". 

Datu Lapu-Lapu is considered the first Philippine national hero from  to resist the foreign rule. A shrine was  built in his honor facing the shore of Mactan. It 's as if he's watching over it and is ready to charge anytime an enemy arrives. This is really a must see historical landmarks in the country. To know the story is  great but seeing the exact location is something else. 

Most of us have this misconception that Lapu-Lapu killed Magellan. It's not him who killed Magellan but his warriors. And who killed Lapu-Lapu? There's no mention who killed him or how he died in the history. It's recorded that he went back to Borneo with his children, 3 of his wives and few of his men. If we look at it now, he's not actually a native Filipino because he came from Borneo.

We hired a car when we visited, but if you want to go there there are taxis around Cebu downtown proper that can take you there. You can also take jeepneys that pass by the Shrine.  Just ask the local how to go there.