page_title: Taal Basilica
section_title: Minor Basilica and further renovations
hierarchical_section_title: Taal Basilica / History / Minor Basilica and further renovations
caption_attribution_description: English: Nave of Taal Basilica prior to its renovation
context_page_description: The Taal Basilica, canonically known as the Minor Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours, is a Minor Basilica in the town of Taal, Batangas in the Philippines, within the Archdiocese of Lipa. It is considered to be the largest church in the Philippines and in Asia, standing 88.6 metres long and 48 metres wide. St. Martin of Tours is the patron saint of Taal, whose fiesta is celebrated every November 11.
context_section_description: The church was then restored in 1953 in preparation for the Canonical Coronation of the Our Lady of Caysasay. The following year on December 8, 1954, the church was declared as a Minor Basilica, the third in the country to be given such honor. The church was again restored in 1972 by the Taal Quadricentennial Council for the 400th anniversary of the town's establishment. By Presidential Decree No. 375 on January 16, 1974, the church was declared a National Shrine.
  The old belfry was later rebuilt in 1990 under the supervision of the National Historical Institute. In 2011, upon the assignment of Msgr. Alfredo Madlangbayan, the Basilica underwent another renovation as sections the church interior were repainted to its original trompe l'oeil ceilings. The tower was also modified to imitate the old tower destroyed by the earthquake of 1942, a new set of carillon bells was later installed. The renovations was completed in November that same year.
  On April 4, 2017, the Basilica was damaged by a 5.5 earthquake that struck Tingloy, Batangas. The Basilica was significantly damaged again caused by twin earthquakes (magnitudes 5.6 and 6.0) that struck the neighboring towns of Mabini and Taysan that occurred on April 8. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines is undertaking some precautionary measures in order to preserve the Basilica.
caption: Nave of Taal Basilica prior to its renovation by Msgr. Alfredo Madlangbayan
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