{"id":9857,"date":"2019-01-29T10:32:28","date_gmt":"2019-01-29T02:32:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/?p=9857"},"modified":"2019-04-17T13:15:10","modified_gmt":"2019-04-17T05:15:10","slug":"ilocos-sur-travel-santa-maria-church-manifests-unesco-world-heritage-baroque-ensemble","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/2019\/01\/29\/ilocos-sur-travel-santa-maria-church-manifests-unesco-world-heritage-baroque-ensemble\/","title":{"rendered":"ILOCOS SUR TRAVEL: Santa Maria Church Manifests UNESCO World Heritage Baroque Ensemble"},"content":{"rendered":"

A UNESCO World Heritage and one of the four beautiful baroque churches in the Philippines lies behind the town of Sta. Maria in Ilocos Sur. <\/span><\/p>\n

Situated in the town center and sitting on top of a hill is\u00a0Santa Maria Church,<\/strong>\u00a0also known as The Church of Our Lady of Assumption<\/em>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Santa Maria Church manifests a Spanish-Era facade of stone bricks\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

History and\u00a0Facade<\/h4>\n

Baroque Churches in the Philippines was first built during the Spanish Colonial Period. Spanish\u00a0missionaries, along with Filipinos and Chinese migrants, were some of the people who influenced the design of the baroque churches highlighting Spanish structures. <\/span><\/p>\n

One of the four baroque churches in the country is the Santa Maria Church<\/strong>\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0<\/span>built by the Augustinian friars as a chapel for the town of Narvacan back in 1769.\u00a0<\/span>40 years later, the bell tower beside the church was built in 1810, as a home for missionaries going to Abra.<\/p>\n

While most churches around the country are situated just across the town square or the municipality, Santa Maria Church is situated on top of a hill, overlooking the town and can be accessed through an almost 80 concrete steps going up.<\/p>\n

\"\"Just beside the church is the bell tower that serves as a home for missionaries back then<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Design<\/h4>\n

Today, the church is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage as part of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines as it embodies Spanish-era characteristics, such as stone bricks,\u00a0massive buttresses on the sides that\u00a0serve as protection to the wall, and a hexagonal bell tower separated from the church.<\/p>\n

\"\"On the side<\/em><\/span>\u00a0of the church, you’ll find\u00a0massive buttresses that\u00a0serve as protection for earthquakes<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Inside, the walls are painted white, with\u00a0barreled ceilings and black hanging chandeliers. The typical wooden seats\u00a0<\/em>are neatly placed on the sidelines highlighting the tiles on the center aisle leading to the blue and gold pillar altars.<\/p>\n

\"\"The insides of the church highlight a blue, white and gold finish leading to the pillar altars.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"Pillar altars of blue and gold<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The church’s architectural ensemble manifests a historical past that’s been preserved as a national cultural treasure of the country.\u00a0Not to mention that it has also surpassed numerous earthquakes and natural calamities and still, standing strong.<\/p>\n

Also read:\u00a0VIGAN TRAVEL: Ruby Jar Factory, Vigan\u2019s 90 Year Old Craft of Earthen Jars<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

How to get there:<\/strong><\/p>\n