The Arch of the Centuries is a triumphal arch at the Plaza Intramuros of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines. Half of the current structure, the side facing the UST Main Building is the ruins of the 17th-century arch door of the first UST campus in Intramuros, while the side that faces España Boulevard is a replica inaugurated in 1954. It was declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum on 25 January 2010. One of the cultural icons of the University of Santo Tomas, it is often the site of important campus events. The Thomasian Welcome Walk is UST's tradition of welcoming the freshmen by passing through the arch. The passing through happens once more after the baccalaureate mass when the graduating class exits through the arch, signifying the completion of their student life in the university.

History

The north side of the present-day Arch of the Centuries served as the arch door portal to the university when it was still in the walled city of Intramuros. The university's oldest floor plan, created by Juan Peguero, the procurator of the Dominican Province of the Philippines from 1675 to 1677 and from 1680 to 1684, designates the arch door as the Puerta del Colegio. The arch door faced the first Benavides Statue, which was located at Calle Postigo and Calle de Santo Tomas. The Battle of Manila in 1945 left the 17th-century campus completely destroyed. In 1953, UST rector Jesus Castañon ordered that the arch door, one of the few structures that survived, be transferred to the Sampaloc campus. Carmelo Flavier Pablo of C.F. Pablo and Son, a precast contractor, was hired to dismantle the ruins piece by piece and transport them to the present campus. The structure took the contractor a year to complete. It was finished and inaugurated in 1954 and became formally known as the Arch of the Centuries. On 25 January 2010, it was declared a National Cultural Treasure, along with the UST Main Building, the Central Seminary Building, and the university field by the National Museum of the Philippines.

Design

Attic

Main section

The main façade consists of two columns on each side of the archway. The columns are of Doric order. The spandrels of the archway consists of Baroque reliefs.

Inscriptions

Current traditions

Freshmen pass under the arch as part of the welcoming rites to the university. Candidates for graduation also pass through under the arch during a parade after their baccalaureate Mass. There is an urban legend that claims prematurely exiting the arch before graduation would lead to a student’s debarment. In 2015, Pope Francis passed through the arch during his visit to the university.