Paoay Church - Ilocos Norte
Paoay Church (also known as the St. Augustine Church in Paoay) is a historical church located in Paoay, Ilocos Norte and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Church is a unique combination of Gothic, Baroque and Oriental designs. Its facade reveals Gothic affinity, its gables show Chinese elements, while the niches topping the walls suggest Javanese influence (reminiscent of the famous Boroboudur Temple).
Known as the “Earthquake Baroque” church in the Philippines, the church was built of baked bricks, coral rocks, salbot (tree sap) and lumber. Both sides of the nave are lined with the most voluminous stone buttresses seen around the islands. Large coral stones were used for the lower level while bricks were used for the upper levels of the church. A three-storey coral stone bell tower stands a few meters away from the church, in a safe distance, to spare the sanctuary in case of collapse. The bell tower served as an observation post in 1896 for the Katipuneros during the Philippine revolution against the Spaniards, and again by the Filipino guerillas during the Japanese occupation in World War II.
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