PAOAY CHURCH

Paoay Church is one of the many tourist spots on the half-day Laoag City Tour.

The Church of Saint Augustine, known as the Paoay Church, is the Roman Catholic parish church of the municipality of Paoay, Ilocos Norte in the Philippines. Completed in 1710, the church is famous for its distinct architecture highlighted by the enormous buttresses on the sides and back of the building.

In 1993, the church was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one best examples of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines. Paoay church is an example of Earthquake Baroque architecture, which is the Philippine interpretation of the European Baroque adapted to the seismic condition of the country.

Destructive earthquakes are common and have destroyed earlier churches all throughout the country. Aside from Baroque, the Paoay Church facade also exudes Javanese architecture reminiscent of Borobudur of Java.

*Source: Wikipedia

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