Temple of Leah
| Temple of Leah | |
|---|---|
 Temple of Leah's exterior | |
 | |
General information | |
Architectural style | Roman |
| Location | Cebu Transcentral Highway, Barangay Busay, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines |
| Coordinates | 10°22′08″N 123°52′24″E / 10.368913701256984°N 123.87333595072559°E |
| Named for | Leah Albino-Adarna |
| Year built | 2012 |
| Owner | Adarna family |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Cement, concrete with reinforced steel, wood |
| Floor area | 4,992 m2 (53,730 sq ft) |
| Grounds | 5,140 m2 (55,300 sq ft) |
The Temple of Leah is a memorial located on Cebu Transcentral Highway, Barangay Busay, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines. It is a Roman-inspired structure dedicated to Leah Villa Albino-Adarna and her collection.[1]
History
[edit]Filipino businessman Teodorico Soriano Adarna decided to construct a structure resembling a Roman temple as a dedication to his wife, Leah Albino. The couple were the grandparents of actress Ellen Adarna.[2] Albino was reportedly a hoarder who collected various items. When she was diagnosed with cancer, she was worried about the fate of her collection.[3][4] She died on January 10, 2010.[5]
Teodorico Adarna decided to honor his wife after her death by fulfilling a promise to keep her collection. He used 5,000 square meters (54,000 sq ft) of land on top of a hill originally meant for a family rest house to build a storage of Adarna matriarch's memoribilia.[5][6]
The site was opened to the public in 2012 as the "Temple of Leah" despite not being finished yet. Admission was initially free but an entrance fee was eventually introduced.[5] The Temple of Leah emerged as a local tourist destination by 2015 with the construction still going on site.[2]
The Adarna patriarch himself died in November 2018, with his second and last wife Amabel Siason Adarna taking over the administration of the site in "principle".[5][7] It then fell under the management of A.S. Adarna's firm A.S. Adarna's Tourist and Recreation Park.[4] The dispute escalated in March 2020, when the Queensland International Realty and Development Corp. (QIRDC), acting in behalf of Leah Adarna's heirs, challenged the validity of the business permit of A.S. Adarna's firm which operated the site allegeldly without the consent of the heirs of Leah Adarna.[4] The heirs took over the administration and the site was temporarily closed.[8]
The Temple of Leah was later reopened to the public, with its reopening date not widely reported; it was operating as a tourist attraction again by 2023.[9]
Architecture and design
[edit]The 4,992-square-meter (53,730 sq ft) building of the Temple of Leah sits on top of a hill on a 5,140 m2 (55,300 sq ft) lot.[8] It was built to resemble of Roman temple. It was deliberately adopted Roman architecture as "to withstand time and still be appreciated for a millennium".[2] The main structure is made of cement, wood, and concrete reinforced with steel frames.[5]
Features and collection
[edit]
The Temple of Leah has 24 chambers which houses Leah Adarna's collection, which includes antiques and Chinese jars. It also has various books.[2]
Inside is also a 2.74-meter (9.0 ft) bronze statue of the matriarch with a dedication plaque signed by her husband.[2][3]
References
[edit]
- ↑ Guanzon, Ian Peter (June 13, 2026). "From lola's storage to landmark: Ellen Adarna on Temple of Leah story". Cebu Daily News. Retrieved September 26, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Garcia, Angelo (September 7, 2017). "LOOK: Temple of Leah, the Taj Mahal of Cebu". ABS-CBN. Retrieved September 27, 2026.
- 1 2 Gomez, Jerome (May 2, 2021). "Behind Cebu's Temple of Leah is a hoarder's story and a husband's promise". ABS-CBN. Retrieved September 27, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Temple of Leah in trouble". SunStar. March 10, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "A man's endless love for Leah". Cebu Daily News. February 7, 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2026.
- ↑ Severo, Jan Milo (July 5, 2023). "Ellen Adarna explains why Temple of Leah entrance fee too pricey". The Philippine Star. Retrieved September 27, 2026.
- ↑ "Temple of Leah closed due to family dispute, faces revocation of business permit". Cebu Daily News. March 10, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2026.
- 1 2 Chua, Alicia Ivy (March 11, 2020). "'Temple of Leah' gets ultimatum". The Philippine Star. Retrieved September 27, 2026.
- ↑ Lachica, Immae (July 4, 2023). "Ellen Adarna shares a detail about Temple of Leah: 'It was built to be a storage for my grandmother's things'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved September 27, 2026.