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BYAHILOâ€™s Visita Iglesia for the Holy Week Season: San Agustin Church, Intramuros Manila

Posted on March 18, 2008

Fourth in a series

The fourth church I visited is the Church of San Agustin in Intramuros Manila, Philippines. The San Agustin Church Manila is said to be the oldest stone church in the country built between 1587 and 1606. The church of San Agustin is the only structure that still stands intact after the entire Manila was brought down into ashes during the World War II.

The church which was built using the Baroque architectural deisgn has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 because of its outstanding universal value.

WHY I PICKED THIS CHURCH:

I just simply love San Agustin’s ceiling painted in Trompe L’oeil fashion. No other church in the Philippines has painted their ceiling as elaborate as the ones in San Agustin. The mere fact that this church has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this definitely deserves a spot in my list.

What I also love about this church is its uniqueness. Although this was built during the Spanish era using the Baroque design, Asian influences can still be found. Fu Dgos can be found guarding the gates and the doors of the church. An unlikely fusion of Catholic design and Chinese influences.