Balay Ni Tana Dicang, The House of Enrica Alunan-Lizares

Part 4 of Our Negros Occidental Tour

If you're into heritage houses, the house of Tana (Kapitana) Dicang is a must see. Built in the 1883 as a second home to the family of Efigenio Treyes Lizares and Enrica Labayen Alunan, it remains as one of the finest examples of Bahay na Bato, the quintessential Filipino-Spanish domestic architectural style literally meaning "house of stone".

Located on Rizal St. in Talisay City, the Lizares family has opened the house to the public, not just as a museum but also as a loving tribute to a grand lady.

Balay Ni Tana Dicang, the house of Enrica Alunan - Lizares

The meter thick walls of the ground floor are finished in brick and coquina (crushed shells and coral).

Zaguan - the ground floor (literally "passageway" in Arabic) to accommodate horse carriages
and carrozas (processional carriages)

The photo says it all, the grand old lady of the house Tana Dicang seated between Philippine Presidents Manuel Quezonand Manuel Roxas.

Escalera - The stairway.

The grand staircase's balusters are of hardwood narra carved like thorny rose stems.

Caida - landing on the upper entrance hall; "foyer of the second floor"; also called Antesala.

Sala mayor - main living room, place for late-afternoon parties called tertulias and dances called bailes.

A bust of the lady of the house, Tana Dicang.

Calado - lace-style fretwork or latticework used to adorn room dividers and to allow air to circulate. The top photo shows the living room calado with phallic patterns and the bottom photo shows the bedroom calado with fleur de lys patterns.

Comedor - the dining room.

Oratorio - prayer room with an altar of santos.

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