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Basilica de San Martin de ToursTaal Basilica|
250px-The_facade_of_the_Taal_Basilica.jpg ¬[->0]Taal Basilica, the biggest in the Far East|
Basic information|
Location|Philippines[->1]|
Geographic coordinates[->2]|17px-WMA_button2b.png ¬13°52′50.0″N 120°55′29.4″E[->3]Coordinates[->4]: 1__#$!@%!#__17px-WMA_button2b.png ¬13°52′50.0″N 120°55′29.4″E[->5]|
Affiliation[->6]|Roman Catholic|
Province|Batangas[->7]|
Municipality|Taal[->8]|
Year consecrated|1865|
Ecclesiastical or organizational status[->9]|Minor Basilica[->10]|
Status|Active|
Heritage designation|1954|
Architectural description|
Architect[->11](s)|Luciano Oliver|
Architectural type|Church|
Architectural style[->12]|Baroque[->13]|
Direction of façade|Southwest|
Groundbreaking|1st church (1575)2nd church (1755)3rd church (1856)|
Completed|1878|
Specifications|
Length|96 metres (315 ft)|
Width|45 metres (148 ft)|
Materials[->14]|Adobe and coral|
Basilica de San Martin de Tours is a Minor Basilica[->15] in the town[->16] of Taal[->17], Batangas[->18] in the Philippines[->19], within the Archdiocese of Lipa[->20]. It is considered to be the largest church in the Philippines and in Asia, standing 96 metres (315 ft) long and 45 metres (148 ft) wide. St. Martin of Tours[->21] is the patron saint[->22] of Taal, whose fiesta[->23] is celebrated every November 11. History
The first churches[edit source[->24] | editbeta[->25]]
The town was founded by the Augustinian missionaries near the shores of Taal Lake[->26] in present day San Nicolas[->27], Batangas[->28] in 1572. Three years after in 1575, construction of the church was started by Father Diego Espinar (O.S.A.) with Saint Martin of Tours as patron saint[->29]. It was then rebuilt in 1642 using stronger materials. In 1754, the church was destroyed along with the town of Taal in the largest eruption of the Taal volcano[->30]. It was then that the town and church were transferred