Philippines UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The World Heritage List includes 936 properties, 5 of which belongs to the Philippines forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value. 

       Baroque Churches of the Philippines

Paoay Church (San Agustin Church), Paoay, Ilocos Norte

Paoay Church or also known as San Agustin Church took 90 years (from 1704) to build and is made from lumber, coral stones, baked brick and limestone mortar with sugar cane juice. It is an architectural marvel influenced by gothic, baroque and oriental styles. It is the best known "earthquake baroque" church in the Philippines with 24 immense side buttresses to support the structure and 1.67 meter thick walls. It is said that this is the most photographed church in the Philippines.

     Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva in Iloilo (Miag-ao)

Located in Miag-ao, Iloilo in Visayas, Philippines is the Baroque-style Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva that was built in 1786. The Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva tastefully exhibits lore of the local people Miagaowanons.Its façade, highlighted by two belfries on both sides, features native flora, fauna, clothing, and the coconut tree, which has been known as the tree of life in Miag-ao.

Church of San Agustin in Manila (Intramuros)
Concealed behind the walled city of Intramuros, built by the Spaniards in 1570, is the church of San Agustin. This church is a significant monument to the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, being the first religious structure built in the island of Luzon, after the Spanish relocated from Cebu in the south. Built within the administrative center of the Spanish government, San Agustin church enjoyed privileges not commonly dispensed to most colonial churches. It was built by the Spaniard Juan Macias in 1586 and was completed in 1606. Luciano Oliver later renovated it in 1854.

Santa Maria Church (Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion Church), Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur

The Santa Maria Church was built on 1769 in the town of Santa Maria in Ilocos Sur. The church was built for Our Lady Of The Assumption and it was built on top of a hill. They say that they built the church there because a long time ago a statue of the Virgin Mary from another place would disappear and find itself perched on a guava tree which was on top of this hill.

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park

The Tubbataha Reef Marine Park covers 130,028 ha, including the North and South Reefs. It is a unique example of an atoll reef with a very high density of marine species; the North Islet serving as a nesting site for birds and marine turtles. The site is an excellent example of a pristine coral reef with a spectacular 100-m perpendicular wall, extensive lagoons and two coral islands.

Banaue Rice Terraces

For 2,000 years, the high rice fields of the Ifugao have followed the contours of the mountains. The fruit of knowledge handed down from one generation to the next, and the expression of sacred traditions and a delicate social balance, they have helped to create a landscape of great beauty that expresses the harmony between humankind and the environment.

 Historic Town of Vigan

Established in the 16th century, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia.

Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park

This park features a spectacular limestone karst landscape with an underground river. One of the river's distinguishing features is that it emerges directly into the sea, and its lower portion is subject to tidal influences. The area also represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full 'mountain-to-sea' ecosystem and has some of the most important forests in Asia.

To know more about UNESCO World heritage sites,  click http://whc.unesco.org/en/list

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