Baroque Churches of the Philippines, Four Spanish colonial churches across the Philippines
This group connects four Catholic places of worship from the colonial period, located in different parts of the Philippines. Each building merges European church forms with regional building methods and local materials.
Friars built the structures between the 16th and 18th centuries to spread the Catholic faith overseas. The buildings survived earthquakes and raids thanks to their adapted construction.
The buildings carry names of saints from Spanish monastic tradition and display carvings of tropical plants alongside biblical scenes. Worshippers attend daily prayers and Mass, while weddings and baptisms shape the rhythm of parish life.
The four locations spread across several provinces and require separate journeys with multi-hour drives. Visits should be planned outside service times to avoid disruptions.
In Paoay, lateral buttresses made of coral stone support the outer walls against earthquake forces. This rare solution appears at hardly any other church building in the region.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
