Guimbal Old Cemetery in Iloilo - Philippines

There are many well known tourist attractions in Iloilo, but there are some that are just up and coming. One of those catching the eye of local and of foreign visitors is the Guimbal Old Cemetery.

Among the many things that are attracting people now to the Guimbal Old Cemetery is that there is a lot of it that is still unexplained and unknown. According to the story, the Guimbal Old Cemetery was constructed in the early 19th century along what is now the highway in the vicinity of Gibuangan. The exact date of the construction is not known, nor by whom.

If you go to the site now, what you will see is an elaborately decorated wall, where the remains of the people who lived and died in Guimbal are buried. However, whether this is in fact the ancient cemetery is unclear. Nearby is the famous Guimbal Church, one of the more well visited tourist attractions in Iloilo, and according to stories there was a churchyard cemetery there before. This might have been the Guimbal Old Cemetery, but there is nothing there now.

The mystery about the Guimbal Old Cemetery is that it was supposed to have been a churchyard gravesite. The one that is called the old cemetery by the highway is nowhere near the church. Some historians have insisted that the old graveyard must have existed near the current church, but the things you will find at the southern end is a deserted playground, and some ruins whose origins are unknown.

Whether the Guimbal Old Cemetery is the most ancient or if there are remains scattered about waiting to be discovered is unknown, but both sites are well worth the visit as they are both visually appealing.

If you are unsure of how to get to Guimbal, it is about 30 minutes from Iloilo City. A jeepney can take you there (the first km is usually 7 Php, but the rate may be slightly higher or lower, and there is an additional charge of 0.50 centavos for the succeeding ones). If you are coming further away, you can take a cab instead, which will cost about a hundred Pesos or more, depending on how you negotiate with the driver.

If you are looking for something new to see, learn a little history and also try to unravel something of a mystery as well, the Guimbal Old Cemetery could be what you are looking for.