Carcar Cebu is known as the Heritage City of Cebu in the Republic of the Philippines. This beautiful city located in the Island of Cebu also has many gorgeous American and Spanish-era structures and houses.
Carcar is also Cebu’s shoe capital since it has long been the province’s primary footwear manufacturer. Its cuisine is also very popular and they’re very well known for its beautiful architecture and is a popular tourist destination for those who enjoy visiting and studying architectural examples of diverse cultural influences.
If you’re planning to visit the famous Carcar, we highly recommend that you hire a Cebu rent a car so you could see the beauty of the view within the comfortable seat of the car. As one enters the town upon the main road, the see the statue of a young man on a horse. This young man is Panteleon also known as Leon Kilat Villegas, a revolutionary from Visaya who was believed to have supernatural powers during the Spanish time and the Philippines revolution in 1873-1898.
Carcar’s history goes back to the colonial period before the Spanish arrived. The town started as a seaside settlement known as Sialo located at the mouth at the Minag-a River.
The early natives made contact with traders from China who used the settlement to barter farm goods in exchange for their goods. In the middle of the sixteenth century, Spanish explorers came and the name of the settlement changed from Sialo to Valladolid, a town in Spain.
The early natives made contact with traders from China who used the settlement to barter farm goods in exchange for their goods. In the middle of the sixteenth century, Spanish explorers came and the name of the settlement changed from Sialo to Valladolid, a town in Spain.
The town began growing and eventually its success made it a target for raids by the Moro marauders. This drove the villagers into the uplands and soon a new settlement was started at a site known as Kabkad. This name was taken from the word Kabkaban, a species of fern which is very hardy and which is grows near the site. A priest later changed the name of the town to Carcar, after a town in Navarro, a province in Northern Spain.
Saint Catherine of Alexandria Parish Church is one of the most famous structures of the Spanish period in Carcar. This wonderful structure shows its Greek Orthodox influence in the domes of its bell towers and in its main façade. Additionally, Saint Catherine’s ceiling display’s beautifully symmetrical decorations and drawings and the church plaza’s fence has statues of saints on each fence column.
Mayor Mariano Mercado built many notable civil structures in Carcar during the American period which lasted from 1922 to 1938. These included the Rizal Monument, the Carcar dispensary, and the Carcar Rotunda. These examples of architectural influence are still standing today and the Carcar dispensary is a public museum today.
The Carcar plaza is home to the Carcar Rotunda which is a gazebo-like structure decorated with stairways on four sides, intricate designs and two statues on the roof. During late November every year, foreign tourists and locals visit Carcar for the Kabkaban Festival, Carcar’s most famous annual event.
Carcar’s biggest industry is shoe and sandal manufacturing which has been around since the 17th century in Carcar. This industry began with sandal-making and later expanded when leather shoes were added.
Shoe manufacturing in Carcar reached its height in the 1960s, but many shoe manufacturers have been forced to close shop since then because of intense competition from foreign shoe importers. However, there are still some manufacturers still operating in Carcar and there are shops located all over Carcar.
Shoe manufacturing in Carcar reached its height in the 1960s, but many shoe manufacturers have been forced to close shop since then because of intense competition from foreign shoe importers. However, there are still some manufacturers still operating in Carcar and there are shops located all over Carcar.
Another item that Carcar Cebu is known for is its cuisine. These native delicacies include bacarillo, chicharon, and ampao which are easily found at street vendors and eateries all over Carcar. Carcar Cebu is a beautiful town and a great place to visit. From history to architecture, Carcar has many interesting things to see and do.
Carcar is only few hours away from Cebu city, and hiring a rent a car in Cebu will let you enjoy more your visit and adventure to the beautiful island of Cebu!
