I was in the Queen City of the South recently for work, and of course, goofing off was definitely on the list of things to do. I had heard about this place, the Temple of Leah, which was said to be the Philippines' version of the Taj Mahal.
Curiousity killed the cat....errr rather, got the better of me. So i decided to check it out. The temple was located more or less 30 to 45 minutes away from Cebu City proper; and whilst there is a way to commute going there (from Ayala Center), i took the path of least resistance by hiring a car.
Off we went on the Cebu Transcentral Highway; and before you know it, you'll know that you have arrived.
There is a designated parking area for vehicles. And an entry fee of PHP75.00 as well.
Based on a plaque mounted inside, the temple was built in 2012 A.D. by a rich gentleman named Teodorico Adarna, Jr. ''as a symbol of undying love and ceaseless devotion to" his late wife Leah, his wife of 53 years.
Thus, this temple was meant to preserve her vast collection of antiques, books and memorabilia, all 24 chambers of it. Further, ''the classic and striking architectural design of this temple took its inspiration from a world heritage sight, the Parthenon of Greece".
Mind blowing, huh? Let's take a look first outside.
There was a healthy bunch of local tourists milling around and taking photos. I particularly liked how it gave a birds-eye view of the city below (inconvenient environmental fact: our loverboy cut off the top of a mountain to build this edifice). Lovely place to take in, under the right weather conditions.
I had to climb a marble bench and tiptoe to get this shot, kaya pusuan niyo na! :D **laughing at one's own corny joke**
So, now let's go inside and check things out. There's really not so much to do, except take photos.
Below is the grand staircase with a statue of Dona Leah herself.
The main hall does look very impressive, and i can only imagine how beautiful it can be, if lit up at night.
The Temple of Leah is very much a work in progress. I walked around to the back of the structure, and there was a cordoned-off area and some heavy construction equipment.
One cannot enter certain areas. But i took some photos through the sealed windows (below)
Not sure who this guy was, maybe a Greek soldier from 1200 A.D. (haha)
I would be very curious to check it out again after a few years, when construction would presumably have been finished; and we can all see the temple in its full glory, as a worthy monument to everlasting love and devotion.
The Temple of Leah is located along the Cebu Transcentral Highway, and is open from 6AM to 11PM daily.
