# Pila Historic Town Center

The Pila Historic Town Center is a historic district located at Barangay Santa Clara Norte, Pila, Laguna, Philippines. The district preserves examples of Spanish and American-era architecture found in its town proper laid out with the Spanish colonial town planning system for the Indies and is also a pre-Hispanic archaeological site. The National Historical Institute (now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines) declared a specific portion of Pila as a National Historical Landmark in 2000. The town has been recognized by scholars as a possible contender in UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

## Rationale for Declaration as Historic Town Center

The NHI board resolution cites several reasons for the declaration of certain areas in downtown Pila as National Historical Landmark:
* The present-day town of Pila is a pre-Hispanic center of culture and trade in the Laguna area as proven by clay potteries unearthed in an archaeological site in Pinagbayanan in 1967;
* Spaniards used to refer to Pila as La Noble Villa de Pila in reference to its well-mannered citizens and rich culture;
* As of writing, Pila is one of the few, existing towns in the Philippines following the Spanish colonial town planning system with the town center being the plaza complex surrounded by government and religious infrastructure; and
* Pila features a collection of well-preserved of Spanish and American-era houses, government structures, and church.

## Declared Areas

According to the board resolution, the following streets in Brgy. Santa Clara Norte are identified as part of Pila Historic Town Center:
| Street Name | Barangay |
| General Luna Street (North boundary) | Santa Clara Norte |
| Oca Street | Santa Clara Norte |
| Rivera Street | Santa Clara Norte |
| San Antonio Street | Santa Clara Norte |
| Ruiz Street | Santa Clara Norte |
| De Castro Street | Santa Clara Norte |
| Mabini Street (South boundary) | Santa Clara Norte |
| Bonifacio Street (West boundary) | Santa Clara Norte |
| Burzagom Street | Santa Clara Norte |
| M. H. Del Pilar Street (East boundary) | Santa Clara Norte |

## Notable Built Heritage

| Site name | Description | Province | City or municipality | Address | Coordinates | Image |
| National Shrine and Parish Church of San Antonio de Padua | First Antonine parish in the Philippines; A 19th-century, Baroque church built by Franciscan Friars who established the parish in 1578 | Laguna | Pila | Poblacion | 14°14′01″N 121°21′52″E﻿ / ﻿14.233705°N 121.364494°E﻿ / 14.233705; 121.364494﻿ (National Shrine and Parish Church of San Antonio de Padua) | |
| Liceo de Pila | Formerly used as church convent | Laguna | Pila | Poblacion | 14°14′02″N 121°21′51″E﻿ / ﻿14.233790°N 121.364234°E﻿ / 14.233790; 121.364234﻿ (Liceo de Pila) | |
| Spanish era bridge | | Laguna | Pila | Victoria Pila Road, Riverside, Brgy. Santa Clara Norte | 14°13′57″N 121°21′32″E﻿ / ﻿14.232583°N 121.359017°E﻿ / 14.232583; 121.359017﻿ (Spanish era bridge) | |
| Spanish era well | Built in 1886 | Laguna | Pila | Brgy. Santa Clara Norte | 14°14′08″N 121°21′40″E﻿ / ﻿14.235663°N 121.36111°E﻿ / 14.235663; 121.36111﻿ (Spanish era well) | |
| Pinagbayanan Crematorium | Site of the oldest crematorium in the Philippines | Laguna | Pila | Brgy. Pinagbayanan | 14°15′02″N 121°21′41″E﻿ / ﻿14.250432°N 121.361344°E﻿ / 14.250432; 121.361344﻿ (Pinagbayanan Crematorium) | |
| Juan Fuentes / Romana Santiago House | Currently owned by the Natividad | Laguna | Pila | Bonifacio corner General Luna Streets, Brgy. Santa Clara Norte | 14°14′09″N 121°21′43″E﻿ / ﻿14.235791°N 121.362008°E﻿ / 14.235791; 121.362008﻿ (Juan Fuentes / Romana Santiago House) | |
| Angel Natividad House | | Laguna | Pila | Bonifacio Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Norte | 14°14′08″N 121°21′44″E﻿ / ﻿14.235667°N 121.362117°E﻿ / 14.235667; 121.362117﻿ (Angel Natividad House) | |
| Payra House | | Laguna | Pila | Bonifacio Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Norte | 14°14′06″N 121°21′45″E﻿ / ﻿14.235109°N 121.362406°E﻿ / 14.235109; 121.362406﻿ (Payra House) | |
| Leaven of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (LIHM) Formation House | | Laguna | Pila | 304 Bonifacio Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Norte | 14°14′05″N 121°21′45″E﻿ / ﻿14.234779°N 121.362476°E﻿ / 14.234779; 121.362476﻿ (Leaven of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (LIHM) Formation House) | |
| Madrigal House | Built in the 1920s | Laguna | Pila | #287 Bonifacio corner Rivera Streets, Brgy. Santa Clara Norte | 14°14′04″N 121°21′46″E﻿ / ﻿14.234581°N 121.362870°E﻿ / 14.234581; 121.362870﻿ (Madrigal House) | |
| Ramos House | Built in the 1930s | Laguna | Pila | Bonifacio corner Rivera Streets, Brgy. Santa Clara Norte | 14°14′04″N 121°21′46″E﻿ / ﻿14.234532°N 121.362653°E﻿ / 14.234532; 121.362653﻿ (Ramos House) | |
| Escueta House | | Laguna | Pila | Bonifacio corner Rivera Streets, Brgy. Santa Clara Norte | 14°14′04″N 121°21′46″E﻿ / ﻿14.234350°N 121.362736°E﻿ / 14.234350; 121.362736﻿ (Escueta House) | |
| Unknown House | | Laguna | Pila | #159 Rivera Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Norte | 14°14′03″N 121°21′44″E﻿ / ﻿14.234198°N 121.362341°E﻿ / 14.234198; 121.362341﻿ (Unknown House) | |
| Banka House | | Laguna | Pila | #162 Rivera corner Balagtas Streets, Brgy. Santa Clara Norte | 14°14′03″N 121°21′44″E﻿ / ﻿14.234177°N 121.362225°E﻿ / 14.234177; 121.362225﻿ (Banka House) | |
| Magdalene Endaya House | | Laguna | Pila | #305 Bonifacio Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°14′00″N 121°21′48″E﻿ / ﻿14.233414°N 121.363381°E﻿ / 14.233414; 121.363381﻿ (Magdalene Endaya House) | |
| Natividad House | | Laguna | Pila | #307 Bonifacio Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°14′00″N 121°21′48″E﻿ / ﻿14.233312°N 121.363413°E﻿ / 14.233312; 121.363413﻿ (Natividad House) | |
| Unknown Ruined House | Built in 1926 | Laguna | Pila | #028 Purok 7, Bonifacio Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′57″N 121°21′49″E﻿ / ﻿14.232580°N 121.363488°E﻿ / 14.232580; 121.363488﻿ (Unknown Ruined House) | |
| Narciso Piedad House | Built in 1965 | Laguna | Pila | #342 Bonifacio Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′55″N 121°21′50″E﻿ / ﻿14.232040°N 121.363768°E﻿ / 14.232040; 121.363768﻿ (Narciso Piedad House) | |
| Unknown House | | Laguna | Pila | #79 and #80, Purok 8, Bonifacio Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′54″N 121°21′51″E﻿ / ﻿14.231612°N 121.364168°E﻿ / 14.231612; 121.364168﻿ (Unknown House) | |
| Iglesia Filipina Indepediente Church | Built in 1932 and dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua | Laguna | Pila | Mabini Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′49″N 121°21′53″E﻿ / ﻿14.230386°N 121.364606°E﻿ / 14.230386; 121.364606﻿ (Iglesia Filipina Indepediente Church) | |
| Monreal House | Built in 1913 | Laguna | Pila | Rizal corner Mabini Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′50″N 121°21′55″E﻿ / ﻿14.230608°N 121.365164°E﻿ / 14.230608; 121.365164﻿ (Monreal House) | |
| Unknown House | | Laguna | Pila | #241 Rizal Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′50″N 121°21′56″E﻿ / ﻿14.230496°N 121.365464°E﻿ / 14.230496; 121.365464﻿ (Unknown House) | |
| Aguilar House | | Laguna | Pila | #110 Rizal Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′51″N 121°21′54″E﻿ / ﻿14.230928°N 121.36503°E﻿ / 14.230928; 121.36503﻿ (Aguilar House) | |
| Clinica Napil | Built in the 1910s | Laguna | Pila | #23 Rizal Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′52″N 121°21′55″E﻿ / ﻿14.231048°N 121.36525°E﻿ / 14.231048; 121.36525﻿ (Clinica Napil) | |
| Unknown House | | Laguna | Pila | De Castro corner Rizal Streets, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′54″N 121°21′54″E﻿ / ﻿14.231753°N 121.364946°E﻿ / 14.231753; 121.364946﻿ (Unknown House) | |
| Relova House | Now used as Neldan Poutry Supply Store | Laguna | Pila | De Castro corner Rizal Streets, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′54″N 121°21′53″E﻿ / ﻿14.231674°N 121.364714°E﻿ / 14.231674; 121.364714﻿ (Relova House) | |
| Unknown House | | Laguna | Pila | Rizal Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′54″N 121°21′53″E﻿ / ﻿14.231780°N 121.364662°E﻿ / 14.231780; 121.364662﻿ (Unknown House) | Upload Photo |
| Unknown House | | Laguna | Pila | Rizal Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′55″N 121°21′54″E﻿ / ﻿14.231848°N 121.364899°E﻿ / 14.231848; 121.364899﻿ (Unknown House) | |
| Petronilo Alava House | | Laguna | Pila | Rizal Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′55″N 121°21′53″E﻿ / ﻿14.231912°N 121.364632°E﻿ / 14.231912; 121.364632﻿ (Petronilo Alava House) | |
| Unknown House | | Laguna | Pila | #43 Rizal Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′55″N 121°21′53″E﻿ / ﻿14.231975°N 121.364817°E﻿ / 14.231975; 121.364817﻿ (Unknown House) | |
| Navarro House | | Laguna | Pila | Rizal Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′56″N 121°21′52″E﻿ / ﻿14.232331°N 121.364467°E﻿ / 14.232331; 121.364467﻿ (Navarro House) | |
| Valenzuela House | | Laguna | Pila | Ruiz corner Rizal Streets, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′58″N 121°21′51″E﻿ / ﻿14.232655°N 121.364295°E﻿ / 14.232655; 121.364295﻿ (Valenzuela House) | |
| Mendoza House | | Laguna | Pila | #12 Rizal Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°13′58″N 121°21′51″E﻿ / ﻿14.23282°N 121.364227°E﻿ / 14.23282; 121.364227﻿ (Mendoza House) | |
| Relova House | | Laguna | Pila | Rizal Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Sur | 14°14′00″N 121°21′50″E﻿ / ﻿14.233387°N 121.363991°E﻿ / 14.233387; 121.363991﻿ (Relova House) | |
| Pila Museum | A one-level, stone structure housing artifacts found from the archaeological excavations done in Pila in 1967. | Laguna | Pila | San Antonio corner Burzagom Street, Brgy. Santa Clara Norte | 14°14′03″N 121°21′53″E﻿ / ﻿14.234245°N 121.364643°E﻿ / 14.234245; 121.364643﻿ (Pila Museum) | |