Tayabas

Tayabas, a town of the province of Tayabas, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 8 m. N. of Lucena, the capital. Pop. of the municipality (1903) 14,740. Tayabas is picturesquely situated on the slopes of the extinct volcano Banajao, and commands a magnificent view of the surrounding country, which is extremely fertile, and is planted in rice and coco-nuts. Its climate, although cool, is very unhealthy, malignant malarial fevers causing a high death-rate. It has a church and convent of large size and massive construction. During the revolt of 1896 a Spanish garrison occupying these buildings withstood a siege of fifty-eight days, at the end of which time it was forced to surrender by lack of food. Tagalog and Bicol are the languages spoken. Until 1901 Tayabas was the capital of the province.