Town of Tanay

Location: M.H. del Pilar Street, Plaza Aldea, Tanay, Rizal

Category: Sites/Events

Type: Site

Status: Level II - Historical marker

Marker date: 1939

Installed by: Philippines Historical Committee (PHC)

Marker text:

TOWN OF TANAY

A SMALL VILLAGE ON MONTE TAN-AY, NOW INALSAN UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF PILILLA FROM 1573. TANAY BECAME AN INDEPENDENT PARISH UNDER SAN ILDEFONSO IN 1606. IN 1620 IT WAS TRANSFERRED TO SAN ANTONIO (PANTAY). WHEN SAN ANTONIO WAS BURNED IN 1639, THE PEOPLE MOVED TO THE PRESENT SITE AND FOUNDED THE TOWN IN 1640.

THE FIRST STONE CHURCH IN THIS TOWN WAS FINISHED IN 1680. THE PRESENT CHURCH WAS BUILT IN 1773–1783. TWO IRRIGATION DAMS WERE BUILT IN 1790–1808. A SCHOOL FOR BOYS AND A SCHOOL FOR GIRLS WERE OPENED IN 1821. A STONE BRIDGE, BUILT ACROSS THE TANAY RIVER IN 1854–1856, WAS DESTROYED BY THE TYPHOON AND FLOOD OF SEPTEMBER 27, 1864, BUT REBUILT IN 1877. A MUNICIPAL BUILDING WAS ERECTED IN 1888 AND A SCHOOL HOUSE IN 1893. THESE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS WERE ACHIEVED LARGELY BY VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION.

RAWANG PASS AND KALINAWAN PLATEAU IN THE MOUNTAINS OF THIS TOWN WERE STRONGHOLDS OF THE FILIPINOS IN THE REVOLUTION AGAINST SPAIN AND IN THE FILIPINO–AMERICAN WAR. IN APRIL–MAY, 1900, THE AMERICAN FORCES OCCUPIED THIS TOWN WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT IN 1901. THE TOWN BECAME A PART OF THE PROVINCE OF RIZAL.