Pedro Guevara Elementary School Opens Alcaiceria de San Fernando Exhibit

 
  A 250-year old historical relic exists in P. Guevara Elementary School. It is a marker put up in 1762 to signify the opening of the Alcaiceria de San Fernando which was completed during the reign of King Charles III of Spain and initiated under the administration of Gov. Gen  Don Manuel de Arandia. The Archbishop of Manila, Manuel Rojo del Rio y Vieyra presided in its installation and he invoked the protection of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Isles for the multi-storey octagonal edifice.
     The Alcaiceria was the silk market, the custom house of the eightth parian. It was popularly known to the chinese as the "chen-nai". The structure was burned down in the 1850's. Two of the original walls could still be found in the school.

     Since the Pedro Guevara Elementary School was built on the original site of the Alcaiceria, several artifacts were dug up during the construction of several buildings through the years. To commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the Alcaiceria de San Fernando, an exhibit of historical artifacts was put up in the school. In as much as October is Marian Month, the school also included in its exhibit  images and paintings of the Virgin Mary.