Miag ao Church in Iloilo
Posted by on December 24, 2008
Probably one of the grandest churches in the Philippines, the Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva stands mighilty in the town of Miag ao Iloilo, Philippines.
The Miag ao Church was built by the Augustinian Friars between 1787 and 1797. The facade features a bas relief which features a unique local artistry.
The central focus of the bas relief is Saint Christopher carrying the child Jesus on his back while picking coconut fruits. The bas relief also features tropical plants found in the island like coconut, papaya and guava.
The church also doubles as a fortress during the earlier times. The Spaniards used it as a fort against the attacking Moro raiders. Large buttresses were placed on each sides to further strengthen the structure.
And because of its outstanding universal value, The church of Santo Tomas in Miag ao Iloilo was included as one of the four Baroque Churches in Philippines that has been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993.
Good vantage point in your 1st photo! Thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog
lapit na ng dinagyang festival.
hi
have nice
The church of Santo Tomas in Miag ao Iloilo was included as one of the four Baroque Churches in Philippines that has been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993.