BACOLOD TOURIST SPOTS: The Capitol Park and Lagoon Complex (Negros Occidental)

My trip to Negros Occidental will never be complete without a visit to the Provincial Capitol Park and Lagoon Complex. So, after checking-out from the pension house where I stayed for a night, I went to the park to see things around.

It is a park located along Lacson St. in the heart of Bacolod City. This is also where Kilometer Zero marker or the point of distance reference of the city is located. The provincial capitol complex is consisted of the capitol building and an artificial lagoon in front of it.


One of the most distinctive landmarks of the park are the carabao (water buffalo) statues painted in gold. One with a woman standing alongside a water buffalo and other is being pulled by a man. These sculptures are located at the northern and southern ends of the lagoon.

The capitol was built from 1924-35, following the Beaux Art style favored by the city planner Daniel Burnham, who came to the Philippines early in the century upon the invitation of William Cameron Forbes, appointed as governor general in 1904. Burnham recommended William Parsons as consulting architect for the Philippine government. Parson arrived in 1905 and organized the architectural office of the Bureau of Public works in which were employed American and Filipino architects, including Tomas Bautista Mapua, Juan Nakpil, Juan de Guzman Arellano. The Bureau favored the Neoclassic style for government buildings setting a pattern for many provincial capitols. (source)

In July 2001, Gov. Joseph G. Marañon initiated the rehabilitation of the Capitol and was inaugurated on June 23, 2004.

Within the complex, you can also find the Provincial Library, the Negros Forests and Ecological Foundation, the Negros Museum and other government buildings.

This Negros Occidental solo trip happened last December 11-12, 2010. Here is a series of posts on my 2-day experience in one of the most progressive provinces in the country. Discover the places I've been to, the people I met, the food I tasted and the experience I gained in this memorable adventure. Bacolod, Murcia, Talisay and Silay | Mambukal Resort in Murcia | The Town of Murcia | The Ruins in Talisay City | Silay City, "The Paris of Negros" | The Capitol Park and Lagoon Complex | The San Sebastian Cathedral and Bishop’s Palace | Pope John Paul II Tower in Bacolod City | Heritage Houses in Silay City

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