Cebu, Philippines Travel Guide
About Getting Around Attractions Hotels Eats & Nightlife Essentials & Practicals
Magellan’s Cross
Magellan’s Cross in Cebu
Overview: The first western foot in the Philippines belongs to Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese explorer commissioned by the King of Spain, to comb the seas for the spice islands. He came upon Cebu (then, Sugbo) where he baptized the Chieftan and the locals shortly after his arrival. Magellan’s arrival also started the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. To celebrate and memorialize the baptism of the Cebu natives, Magellan planted a cross. The cross of course is known as Magellan’s Cross and it is the symbol of the Philippines’ birth of Christianity.
Magellan’s Cross is housed in a small, open-air chapel. It’s believed that parts of the original cross are encased in tindalo wood.
Magellan’s Cross in Cebu
Magellan’s cross is located in Cebu City’s downtown/pier area in the recently created, Sugbu Plaza. The plaza of course attracts your typical hawkers and vendors. I will say that a bottle of water in a convenience store in Cebu City costs around P8. A bottle of water from one of the hawkers at Magellan’s Cross costs P20, which is about 40 cents. Still a great deal right?! Magellan’s Cross sits between Cebu City Hall and Basilica Minore del Santo Nino.
Location: Magellans Street in downtown/pier area, Cebu City
Cost: Free
Accessibility: The plaza and the chapel in which Magellan’s Cross sits are wheelchair accessible. The chapel is wheelchair accessible, however, only at one of the entrances -the one near the Bascilica Sto Nino.
Getting There: Cab it for P55