One Day Only: Visit the Restricted Areas of the Manila Cathedral for Free This June
Access the Cathedral's crypt, choir loft, and roof deck sans any fees.
Published on Jun 10, 2026
(SPOT.ph) While you may be a frequent visitor to the majestic Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, chances are, there are still areas that you haven’t been to yet. Although generally open to the public, a few spots are only accessible to a select few. Lucky for us, the cathedral occasionally opens its “restricted areas” to the public—and this Friday, June 12th, is one of those days.
Heads up! If you’re curious about these hidden spots and don’t have Independence Day plans yet, here’s your chance to experience the Mother Church of the Philippines and its surrounds like never before. Here's how.
The Manila Cathedral Independence Day Open House
This June 12, the Manila Cathedral is opening all its doors for an Open House, as part of Philippine Independence Day celebrations in the Walled City.
During this event, the cathedral crypt at the lower ground level, the choir loft, and the roof deck to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. To make the experience more immersive, free guided tours will also be offered at two timeslots within the day at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. There will also be two pipe organ concerts held at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on the same day.
While the Manila Cathedral has yet to release any formal guidelines on how to join the tours, it looks like visitors can just walk in based on past Open House events. Just make sure to be at the venue early and be on the lookout for guides calling out for tour participants.
Other Independence Day activities at the Manila Cathedral
Aside from the Open House activities, Manila Cathedral has also partnered with the Gallery of Prints — the country's only gallery specializing in antique prints from before the 1900s—to present Manila in Print, an exhibition of antique prints, maps, and related materials depicting the Manila Cathedral, Intramuros, and the capital’s fascinating history. The exhibit also opens on June 12 at the cathedral’s St. Joseph Chapel and will run until Sunday, June 14.
Manila Cathedral’s Open House is happening on June 12. For more information, visit the Manila Cathedral’s Facebook page.
Joy is a writer, film photographer, caffeine junkie, and part-time traveler. When not any of these, she’s either lost in a book, beating a game, or making a zine. Cat-mom to Noodle, Nori, and Mocha.