A Fortress Lost in Transition – Santa Maria Church, Ilocos Sur
In the town of Santa Maria, just an hour away from Vigan City, lies a UNESCO World Heritage Site for being a Baroque Church in the Philippines.
This is a collection of four Spanish-era Baroque churches – Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte, San Agustin Church in Intramuros and Miag-ao Church in Iloilo and the latter, the Santa Maria Church in Ilocos Sur.
“Aside from Vigan City what’s in Ilocos Sur anyway?” Contrary to the fact that Ilocos Sur is famed for the Meztizo district that is the cobblestone laid street of Calle Crisologo, there is still more to see from this province.
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And today, I am about to finish visiting the churches on that list. They are gentle reminders of the 333 years of Spanish domination. In addition, the churches under this list is unique in architecture and has diversified architectural designs.
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The Long and Steady Trip to Santa Maria
I spent the night in Sto. Tomas, La Union to visit the wake of my friend’s dad. I ventured even further north the following morning by 08:00 am, as part of my Ilocos Sur solo day trip.
I took a provincial bus that is bound for Laoag, Ilocos Norte. Little did I know that it will be taking up much of my time as it stopped at every bus stop possible to load and unload passengers.
Upon arrival in Candon City, I immediately saw the Candon Church or Saint John of Sahagun Parish Church. It was also designed in earthquake baroque qualities and is famed for its longest religious painting in the Philippines which represents the 20 Mysteries of the Holy Rosary.
Back in the bus stop, they transferred us to another bus, which went almost the same routine as the previous one. The whole 144 kilometer trip took me almost five hours before I arrived in Santa Maria.
Santa Maria
Sta. Maria Church was built in 1765 and still stand intact as of today. Surprisingly, it was not far from the main highway, and stands sentinel among the community laid with several ancestral houses.
From across the street, the massive and imposing Santa Maria Church will be getting your undivided attention. It was like a castle on the hill, this citadel is very different from other churches.
Under the scorching midday sun, I walked towards the church through the grand three-flight staircase. The staircase has eighty-five steps made of granite rock leading to the courtyard in front of the church doorway.
The church is a brick and mortar fortress that offers a sweeping view of the lower plains of Santa Maria.
This two-story church, has a total length of ninety-nine meters and spans almost twenty-three meters wide. Also, it is an earthquake baroque designed church with thirteen large buttreses and two circular ones on the facade.
Earthquake Baroque
The church brick facade has one large portal with three windows. Then it is framed by two circular buttreses that is topped by urn-like finials. The first buttress on the front is adorned with the relief image of Our Lady of Assumption. It is said that the statue was always found on top of a Guava Tree after being lost on several occasions from the old town church. The location of the said tree is where the present church is now located.
When thatched roof was a norm in the Philippine Church construction, the middle buttresses at the eastern wall was also shaped like a staircase for easy maintenance of the roof.
The bell tower is free-standing and is not parallel to the church facade, but stands adjacent to the third buttress. Moreover, the octagonal four-story tower was built wide, with each level narrowing till it reaches the top. Undoubtedly, this is typical in earthquake baroque church towers of Ilocos.
The top is finished with a cupola, while the front part is designed with a clock for church goers to see. Other intricate designs were added such as finials, balustrades and single pilasters.
On the other side of the church lies a graveyard and the ruins of an old chapel. In fact, is said to be the first one constructed prior to the larger edifice.
Church Interiors
Upon arrival back in the courtyard, a group from Cavite was granted entry to the insides of the church. It was closed that Sunday afternoon upon my arrival. Indeed, the church interiors will take you back in time as it still possesses an old world charm with its peculiar simplicity.
Everything felt and looked quite just the same as any other church in Ilocos. Furthermore, there’s the cream painted walls, barren ceiling, normal steel chandeliers, and the iconic Ilocano Baldosa tiles.
Like the other churches in the region, the pillars are also patched with some gravestones in Spanish epitaphs. Aside from being an UNESCO World Heritage Site, it also has the statue of Apo Baket or The Our Lady of Assumption/ Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion.
I spent an hour at the Santa Maria Church. After that, I headed back to the main highway and went to Narvacan for the next leg of my solo adventure. Paragliding at NOAH!
Continue reading: Suso Beach
How To Get There
- From Manila, take a bus bound for Vigan, Laoag or Pagudpud. Dominion, Farinas, Partas and RCJ bus plies this routes, hop off at Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur crossing. Fare is around 450php-500php, travel time is 6-7 hours.
- If coming from Vigan, take any provincial bus bound for Candon, La Union or Manila and drop off at Sta. Maria, fare is around 60-70php per trip, travel time is 30-45 minutes.
- If coming from La Union, take any provincial bus bound for Vigan City or Laoag. Fare starts more or less at 180php from Sto. Tomas or Agoo, and 100php from San Fernando City or San Juan. Travel time is 3-4 hours.
- From the Main Highway, the church is just less than a kilometer away inside the small town and not on the main highway, one can opt to walk going to the church or take a tricycle for 25php/trip.
Updated as of April 22, 2018
