After Vigan City , the next stop on our Ilocos trip was Paoay, Ilocos Norte. Truth be told, I'm kinda looking forward to this part of the trip because of this particular church, I have seen pictures of this church from friends who have visited the place and when I am doing some research while planning our trip. Being a sucker for old churches, (ICYMI, I think I mentioned about my fascination for such structures a few times or so in this blog and on my other social media accounts) I made sure we get to stop by this lovely church.
The Paoay Church or the St. Agustine Church located in Paoay, Ilocos Norte is one of the first few churches built in the country. Its history and unique structure adds to its glory. See it for yourself and you'll know why. It was built to stand and last several earthquakes which hit the country. What's surprising to know is that it was even used as a fortress during the early times of the revolution.
A view of the church's bell tower from the garden at the back of the church.
Since this church is old, it has gone through restorations up to the present times. Personally, I think the local government and the people, in cooperation with them, have done a good job.
Church interior
Façade
We went there during the day, but I wish we also went at night. Because I heard it is equally beautiful at that time too. The church has been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site being one of the four Baroque Churches in the Philippines.
Something this beautiful must really be preserved and taken care of for the future generations to see. This may mean nothing to anybody, but as for me, I'm happy that in this lifetime I get to see structures like this and that my country has a rich history to be explored and shared.
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