Fantasy and history merge in this Baguio Castle
Even before the place was ready for visitors, it had already gotten thousands of “likes” on social media. Owner/builder Terio Yubos was surprised. He didn’t expect his masterpiece to be so popular so quickly. He had no choice but to open it to the public last February, even before the whole project had been completed.
It is an ambitious, massive creation, this project, and it has become Baguio’s latest tourist attraction. Rising high atop the mountains of Benguet, the Dragon Treasure Castle is both fantasy and history, inspiration, and imitation. In a place known for its indigenous culture, this European style castle seems incongruous, as though it had wandered out of a history book and landed inexplicably on this remote corner of the Pacific.
Maybe that’s part of its appeal: the turrets, the towering boulders that defy gravity, the British flags proudly waving in the winds—they’re a novelty in this part of the world, sure to fire anyone’s imagination. Looking like a medieval fortress, it’s exceedingly strong with, says Yubos, a 2.5- to 3.5-meter foundation.
He admits it was all inspired by Windsor Castle in England, whose stone masonry he found fascinating during a visit to Europe. This masonry he has successfully duplicated with the use of the craftsmanship of the Cordillerans, the very same people whose ancestors built the majestic Banaue Rice Terraces.
In addition, Yubos put in his own creative touches. Figures of mythical characters carved against stone walls hark back to the classics: In one corner there’s a menacing Medusa, in another Poseidon, the ancient Greek god of the seas. Hovering near the entrance is a gigantic figure that seems to be a composite of contemporary superheroes, with the boots of Spider-Man, the shirt of Zazzam, and features vaguely resembling Black Adam and a character from the Game of Thrones.
Because the castle was built on the mountains, strolling around the premises is an up-and-down undertaking along winding walkways cobbled from rocks. Arches shelter hidden nooks surrounding a spacious courtyard that doubles as a stage for ethnic dance performances.
Yubos bought this land from a government agency initially because it was beside Irisville Subdivision, which he owns. He was thinking of using the land to preserve the Kissing Rock, a natural rock formation which has become a historic spot for the community. But, to his surprise, the mountains held a secret that was to become the building block for his castle.
Upon digging, he and his crew discovered that the mountains were made of limestone, a valuable building material. “If I were to buy the limestone I used for this project, it would have cost P200 million,” he said. Instead, the limestone became his for the taking, thanks to the mountains that yielded a precious secret.
“And that,” he says, “is the real treasure of this castle. Not gold, but the limestone.” Thus the apropos name: Dragon Treasure Castle. “Diyos lang ang makakagawa niyan,” he says of the limestone.
But there’s another treasure that came with the mountains: the spectacular views. On a clear day, one can see, while standing on the cliffs, the shimmering waters of the sea and, in contrast to the towering mountains, the verdant flatlands of La Union. On cold, windy days, the fog descends and shrouds it in mystery, leaving one to wonder what lies beyond.
Above, just beneath the azure blue sky, colonies of clouds hover, like a protective mantle over the wonders of nature. Yubos fondly calls them “the sea of clouds.”
On the day of our visit, Yubos stressed that the castle was only partly finished, that more was yet to come. Among these: a 25-foot dragon straddling the rooftops. “We’re just waiting for the permit,” he says. Meanwhile the castle has become the latest attraction in Baguio for visitors and residents alike.
A dragon sitting atop a castle sitting atop the mountains of Benguet. On the horizon, the glistening sea and verdant lands. Above, soft, billowy clouds. Part fantasy, part reality, the Dragon Treasure Castle is one man’s tribute to nature and nature’s gift to mankind.
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The Dragon Treasure Castle is located at Block 8, Jade ST., Irisville Subdivision, Phase 2, Purok 20, Upper Irisan, Baguio City. Entrance fee: P165, with discounts for seniors, PWDs, and toddlers. Parking available. Shuttle buses can take guests from the parking lot to the site free of charge.
