Goldenberg: Music, heritage and history
If the walls and floors of Goldenberg Mansion could speak, they would tell charming stories from history.
Elegant Spanish culturati, mighty Japanese military, French-Jewish businessmen, American commanders, world royals as well as pianist Van Cliburn and ballerina Margot Fonteyn have traipsed across its Italian marbles and embraced its Moroccan vibe.
Built in the 1800s by the Eugster Spanish merchant family, it was designed as the government’s venue for cultural and art events. The mansion was then acquired and rebuilt by Jose Moreno Lacalle, a Spanish lawyer and writer from Granada, Spain who put in Moroccan architectural details reminiscent of his native region. Using high-quality Philippine hardwood, prefabricated steel from Belgium, marble from Italy and bricks and tiles from Spain, the mansion became a symbol of colonial elegance.
History records say that from 1897-1898, the mansion was leased to the Spanish Navy, for residence of Admiral Patricio Montojo and headquarters of the Spanish Navy Club. Montojo was defeated in the Battle of Manila in 1898, hence the mansion became the residence of battalion commander Arthur MacArthur, father of future US field marshal Douglas MacArthur.
In 1903, the mansion was repurposed as the office of the Philippine Expo participation in St. Louis Expo in Missouri. Before that, it became the venue for a public exhibition of Philippine art showcasing Fabian dela Rosa’s works and Juan Luna’s famous “Blood Compact.”
In 1915, the mansion was sold to Ricardo Esteban Barretto whose family founded the San Miguel Brewery. However, the Japanese general used it as his residence during World War II. After the American Liberation, it became a resto-nightclub, Ye Olde Mansion, for American soldiers.
Finally in 1950, the mansion was bought by French-Jewish philanthropist Michael Goldenberg who witnessed the execution of Jose Rizal as a child. This made him a lifelong admirer of the hero.
After Goldenberg’s death in 1963, his heirs sold the mansion to Imelda Marcos who converted it into a guesthouse after restoration by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin. The Goldenberg Mansion has hosted leaders like King Hussein and Queen Alia of Jordan, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India, and Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau of Canada.
First Lady Liza Marcos had the vision to restore and repurpose Malacañang heritage mansions, hence the Goldenberg Mansion came full circle to become a venue for cultural and art events once more, just like during the Spanish era.
The Goldenberg Concert Series began in March 2023 and has since been used for chamber concerts, art exhibits and shows highlighting Philippine fashion and textiles.
