It's More Fun In Albay, Philippines Photo Series #50

Bahay na Bato. More Fun in Albay, Philippines  (Photo by Ariel Chua)

The quintessential Filipino house, the "Bahay na Bato," literally means 'house of stone." 

Bahay na bato came about when the illustrados and principalia in the Philippines during the Spanish times combined the structural features of bahay kubo with the elements of houses in europe and asia. The lower walls of the classic bahay na bato were traditionally finished in stone or masonry.   More modest homes have wood walls for both levels and in more recent times, cinder blocks have been used to enclose the lower level.   This space, the zaguan, was used to store the family carriage and processional cart in the old days and nowadays often function as office, shop or the family's sari-sari store.(Robert Gardner)

The Bahay-na-Bato.... it's more fun in Albay, Philippines.