This is a Catholic church built during the Spanish colonial period. It is the oldest existing stone church in the Philippines.
The construction of the church began in 1586 and was completed in 1607.
Originally, there were bell towers on both sides of the church, but an earthquake in July 1880 caused a crack in the bell tower on the left side, which was later removed and only the base of the bell tower remains today.
During World War II, the Japanese Army once used this place as a concentration camp. The adjacent monastery was completely destroyed during the war, and the roof of the church was broken, but the church structure itself remained intact.
In 1993, the church was registered as a World Heritage Site along with other churches as "Baroque Churches of the Philippines".
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Pop-up card : World Heritage Site in the Philippines (2023.12.25)
