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Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva – Miag-ao, Iloilo

One of the UNESCO Heritage Sites in the Philippines is the church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva in Miag-ao. It is among the best examples of the “fortress baroque” style in the country. Built of local yellow-orange sandstone, the church stands on the highest elevation of the town and was completed in 1797. The church withstood typhoons and earthquakes and was burned twice: first was during the revolution against Spain in 1898 and the second was during the Philippine-American War.

Miag-ao Church, also known as the Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva in the town of Miagao, Iloilo, is an Augustinian-built baroque church and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built between 1787 and 1797, its fortress-like design suggests its dual purpose as a place of worship and as a fort used in defending the town against moro raiders.

History

Miag-ao’s first parish church was built near the Tumagbok River in Ubos by Nicolas Pangkug, the first town capitan (equivalent to today’s town mayor). It was completed three years before the first assignment of a Spanish priest in Miag-ao, consequent to the creation of the Miag-ao parish on 15 May 1734. The first church was burned by Muslim pirates in 1741.

The second church was built on the same site in 1747 under the guidance of the parish priest, Fray Fernando Camporedondo. This was also burned and looted by pirates in May 1754.

Sources:

https://www.vigattintourism.com/tourism/articles/Santo-Tomas-de-Villanueva-Church-Miag-ao-Church https://www.zenrooms.com/blog/post/unesco-world-heritage-sites-philippines/ Source: