Mactan Shrine


Mactan is the improbable site of one of the defining moments in the Philippines' history. It was here on 27 April 1521 that Ferdinand Magellan was fatally wounded at the hands of Chief Lapu-Lapu. The event is commemorated at the Mactan Shrine on a stone plinth bearing the date that Magellan was felled. Next to it is a statue of a ripped and pumped Lapu-Lapu, looking like a He-Man action figure.

In the months leading up to this fateful moment, Magellan had managed to curry the favour of all the most powerful chiefs of the region, with the single exception of Lapu-Lapu. So with 60 of his best soldiers, Magellan sailed to the island to teach him a lesson in gunboat diplomacy. But Lapu-Lapu and his men defended their island with unimagined ferocity, and Magellan was soon back on his boat – fatally wounded by a spear to his head and a poisoned arrow to his leg.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary

4.78 MILES

Just 20 minutes from Mactan by public bangka, Olango Island is home to this important wildlife reserve. Taking in 1030 hectares of sand flats and…

2. Museo Sugbo

7.13 MILES

This excellent museum comprises several galleries in a sturdy old coral-stone building that was Cebu's provincial jail from 1870 to 2004. Rooms are…

3. Fort San Pedro

7.25 MILES

Established in 1565 under the command of Miguel López de Legazpi, conqueror of the Philippines, Fort San Pedro has served as an army garrison, a rebel…

4. Casa Gorordo Museum

7.26 MILES

Downtown, in a quiet residential area, this museum was originally a private home (built in the 1850s). Later it was purchased by the Gorordos, one of Cebu…

5. Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House

7.32 MILES

The atmospheric Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House is among the country's oldest residential homes, built around 1680 from wood and coral stone, its design…

6. Hilutangan Island

7.33 MILES

Hilutangan Island, about 4km southwest of Olango, is surrounded by a marine sanctuary, although the snorkelling isn't that great as the reefs were damaged…

8. Cebu Cathedral

7.42 MILES

This neoclassical cathedral was completed in 1909, replacing many earlier structures on the site. Only its facade and belfry survived WWII bombs.