Looking Deeper into Photo 439

[Kathy Ponce]

So I happened to Google the keywords "Intramuros 19th century". I don't know why I didn't think about that in the beginning while trying to confirm the photo 439 of HMS Challenger. Anyway, here's what I found.

This photo shows building on the left of the cathedral a little more clearly than the previous clues we have found. The side street where the tower is looks just the right size as photo 439. From the map this street is Cabildo Street. The building to the left is no longer around and I wonder what this building was called and what happened to it.

However there are some things about photo 439 that do not seem to add up. The tower on photo 439 has a clock. The drawing above by Fernando Brambila does not have one. Although it is highly possible it could've changed since Brambila drew this in the 1700s Still I can't make out the details of photo 439 to be present on Brambila's drawing like the tree on the foreground and the triangle looking building infront of the tower. I'm also wondering of the building across (which we thought was in Iloilo) are remains of the building in Brambila's drawing? Does it even look like remains? From the angle of the photo the starting point of the building's width is the end of the tower's perimeter (i'm not sure i explained that well so if there are any clarifications, do ask.) This is almost similar to Brambila's drawing as well.

Still the big question remains. Is photo 439 a photo of Manila Cathedral in Intramuros?

[Josemaria Alvaro Alejo Cabañes]

I think that this is worth looking deeper into. Because, I agree that the sketch looks very similar and that the details of the picture and photograph do not quite add up. Could it be possible that the drawing is an artists, representation of the church?