Legazpi, Provincial capital in Albay, Philippines
Legazpi is the capital of Albay province in southeastern Luzon, sitting along the coast of Albay Gulf with views toward Mount Mayon. The city spreads along a broad bay and connects residential neighborhoods with port facilities, markets and public squares.
The settlement began in 1616 as a Spanish colonial foundation and took its name from conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi, who brought much of the Philippines under Spanish rule. Several eruptions of Mayon shaped the history of the town and repeatedly forced residents to rebuild destroyed neighborhoods.
The local language mixes Tagalog with Bikol expressions, shaping everyday conversation at markets and shops throughout the city. Small food stalls open along many street corners in the late afternoon, preparing pinangat, a regional dish of taro leaves cooked in coconut milk.
The international airport sits a few kilometers northwest of the center and receives daily flights from Manila. Several bus terminals connect the city to other regions of the Philippines and sit near the port district.
The Cagsawa Ruins preserve the remains of an 18th-century Franciscan church destroyed during an 1814 eruption of Mayon. Only the coral stone bell tower still rises from the hardened lava flow and offers a viewpoint toward the volcanic cone.
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