HomeAsiaPhilippinesLuzonIlocos SurSanta Maria Church of Ilocos Sur By Marcos Detourist on October 12, 2011The Santa Maria Church was inscribed six years earlier than Vigan in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites.It is grouped together with three other churches under the category of “Baroque Churches in the Philippines.”Having just seen photos of the Santa Maria Church, I had an impression that it paled in comparison to the San Agustin Church, Miagao Church, and the Paoay Church.I was definitely curious to see how / why this church got included in UNESCO’s prestigious list. Santa Maria Plaza with the Santa Maria Church peering out in the background.Fortress ChurchI didn’t know that the Santa Maria Church was actually built on top of a hill. I was surprised to see a beautiful grand staircase leading to the church.Even the hillsides were reinforced with baked clay and stone bricks. The physical effort of building this church complex must have been a daunting task. I was already impressed.Many Spanish-colonial era churches are known for their secondary function as a fortress defense. For me, the Santa Maria Church looked to be one of the best examples of fortress church architecture in the Philippines. The hilltop location together with its defensive wall was a special feature I hadn’t encountered before.Made me feel like I was visiting some remote town in Latin America. Granite staircase leading to the Santa Maria ChurchSanta Maria Church FacadeThe facade of the Santa Maria Church looked very bare. Loved the texture of the red bricks but it still doesn’t compare to the artistic facades of many churches in the Philippines.It was difficult to take a good photo of the church facade because of the mid-day sun. There was a harsh shadow covering the whole facade. I presume its northward orientation would result to unflattering photos at any time of the day. This may be the biggest reason why I haven’t seen any breathtaking photos of the Santa Maria Church before.Santa Maria Church FacadeEarthquake BaroqueAfter taking a glance at the facade my attention was instantly drawn to the boxy buttresses at the sides. I loved the moss cover and utilitarian look of straight lines. The stark feel appealed well with my soft spot for minimalist design. Butresses serve as a support structure against earthquakes. Love contrast between the vertical and horizonal lines … also the red bricks and the green moss coverThe bell tower was located a few feet away from the Santa Maria Church. During a major trembler, tall bell towers would usually topple down first. Building it separately minimizes the risk of damage to the main church structure. Bell Tower of the Santa Maria ChurchThe convent was unusually located in front of the church and bell tower. Most convents are located at the side or at the back of the church. Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion Parish ConventWorld Heritage SiteFinally, I’ve already seen all of the “Baroque Churches in the Philippines” in the UNESCO World Heritage list. The Santa Maria Church definitely deserved to be included in that list.Aesthetically, there are a lot more impressive churches but the beauty of the Santa Maria Church lies in its unique features aside from its inherent heritage value.I personally liked the borderline minimalist feel of the Santa Maria Church. UNESCO World Heritage MarkerThe journeyFrom Vigan, I went to the terminal and hopped on a southbound bus headed to San Fernando, Pampanga. Arrived in Santa Maria town after one hour (P40 fare). Dropped off at the Santa Maria Public Market. From there, it was a short tricycle ride to the Santa Maria Church (P8 fare).From Vigan, getting to Santa Maria should only take 30 minutes by car . The buses were sooooo slow because they made many stops to wait for passengers.Thankfully, there were a few interesting sights along the way. Pres. E. Quirino Bridge over the Abra River Narvacan Mall Spanish-colonial bridge at Santa Maria Town Proper. The tricycle passed by it before reaching the Santa Maria Church.Don’t leave yet. There’s more!2 Days Ilocos Sur Itinerary - Vigan, Bantay & Santa Maria…Paoay Church, finally! plus my first taste of Ilocos BagnetWalking Tour of Old ManilaSouthern Cebu Churches & Heritage Tour - Boljoon, Argao,…Southern Iloilo Road Trip11 Days Northern Luzon Itinerary - Cagayan, Ilocos & Baguio…Comments Batang Lakwatsero saysOctober 12, 2011 at 9:28 pmhndi ko pa napuntahan ‘tong simbahan na ito.. kelangan ko tlga bumalik sa ilocos, andami kong na-miss na places. Marcos saysOctober 18, 2011 at 10:27 amOh. There’s always next time :D Francois Paolo saysOctober 12, 2011 at 11:03 pmi always loved that church!!! Wandering Caloy saysOctober 15, 2011 at 9:53 pmInteresante ang simbahan na ito. Unang pasyal ko dito ay ilang taon na rin ang nakakaraan. Sana po nakapasok ka dun sa loob ng Simbahan, may interesting na simple painting dun sa isang portion ng ceiling. God bless po sa future travels! Marcos saysOctober 18, 2011 at 10:53 amYeah, I haven’t gone inside the church because it was closed at the time. Still want to go back since I have yet to visit other churches of Ilocos Sur … plus, seeing the scenic Abra river makes me want to explore Abra as well. Paolo saysAugust 26, 2012 at 3:20 pmHi, At what time of the day did you take the pics? Paolo saysAugust 26, 2012 at 3:21 pmof the Sta Maria Church… Marcos saysNovember 11, 2012 at 6:22 pmMidday Posting of new comments is disabled temporarily.Connect with Marcos on:Detourista.comMarcosDetourist.comFacebookInstagramTwitterDetourista.comDiscover more travel guides and blogs about the Philippines and beyond by Marcos DetouristChoose your next destination: Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Batang Lakwatsero saysOctober 12, 2011 at 9:28 pmhndi ko pa napuntahan ‘tong simbahan na ito.. kelangan ko tlga bumalik sa ilocos, andami kong na-miss na places.
Wandering Caloy saysOctober 15, 2011 at 9:53 pmInteresante ang simbahan na ito. Unang pasyal ko dito ay ilang taon na rin ang nakakaraan. Sana po nakapasok ka dun sa loob ng Simbahan, may interesting na simple painting dun sa isang portion ng ceiling. God bless po sa future travels!
Marcos saysOctober 18, 2011 at 10:53 amYeah, I haven’t gone inside the church because it was closed at the time. Still want to go back since I have yet to visit other churches of Ilocos Sur … plus, seeing the scenic Abra river makes me want to explore Abra as well.