Caleruega - Ella, Emilio

Caleruega- Ella, Emilio

In my 1^st visit in Caleruga for our school retreat, it gives a breath taking experience for me to the point that I don’t want to leave the place anymore, with an area of 47Km² the place gives a very relaxing environment full of trees and panoramic view of hills, mountains and its famous Transfiguration Chapel. It made me think that there’s still a place like this in the Philippines despite of the major pollution in the city. 

Caleruega is actually a place of prayer and renewal. It is an ideal place for retreats, recollections, youth camps, team buildings, workshops and other activities. But for lovers who have been there, it is a perfect place for their sweetest day. Because of the marvelous parks, promoting religious type of environment it gives a very peaceful place to refresh your mind with its wonderful layout of its contemporary design of landscape that resembles the Filipino style within its structure; the sloping area with a native form of station of the cross gives a nice experience to explore the park.

There’s also what they call Koi garden that serves as its water feature, and on the right you will arrive on Caleruega’s picnic grounds. The hanging bridge is at the end of a stone path going a little to the left of the Koi Garden. The hanging bridge spans a deep ravine. At the bottom, a brook flows. When it’s raining, I guess the brook swells and water flows with more energy. 

Due to the steep sides, the lush vegetation, and overhead cover, the bottom is in perpetual shadow. Past the hanging bridge, if you go to the right, there are picnic tables until the end of open area beneath a line of trees. And on the top of the hill after the picnic tables you will see The Chapel on the Hill. It’s basically a huge tent with concrete and metal struts, steel cables, and three stained-glass panels: each depicting one of the main characters in that extraordinary event called the Transfiguration.