We arrived in the evening at one of the most beautiful and well preserved Catholic churches in the Philippines, the Paoay Church for the wedding rehearsal of my friends Eg and Ryan. They were getting married the following day.
There was a chorus of exclamations when we got out of the jeepney. The lighted facade of Paoay Church was magnificent in the darkness.
Paoay Church is the St. Augustine Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte
It was around 8 o'clock in the evening and already quite dark. We alighted our service jeepney and walked towards the Paoay Church. We were ushered in the side entrance by the caretaker...
The interior was surprisingly quite plain - but it was huge. According to WikiPilipinas, "the Paoay 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."
It is also known as the “Earthquake Baroque” church in the Philippines mainly because of the strong buttresses built to support it.
Try Herencia de Paoay's Pakbet Pizza, with Bagoong!
For dinner, we went to Herencia de Paoay, right in front of the church. It was quite interesting to try out their Pakbet Pizza (complete with bagoong!), the Bagnet Pizza, and the Dinuguan Pizza. Yes folks - unique and very Filipino. A must try when you visit Ilocos Norte!
The restaurant was not very big - can fit maybe 30 to 50 people. But it was cozy and homey - and the food it great! Try the noodles too!
The Paoay Church, UNESCO World Heritage Site
From the dedication on the door, it states the bell tower which stands separate from the church, was used by Katipuneros, and that it was first completed in the 1800's.
The church was also designed to withstand earthquakes - but just in case it cannot, they've built the bell tower separate from a church a few meters away to protect it. Here's a view of the bell tower from the side of the church.
Here's a photo from inside - beside the choir area in the front of the church. I liked the colors of the window.
When the wedding ceremony finished, the sun was just about to set. It gave a wonderful golden glow to the facade of Paoay Church. You can also see the moon in this photo!
And finally, proof that I was there. Hehe.
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| Reyjr in front of Paoay Church |
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