San Pablo Church Ruins are ruins of a Roman Catholic church located in San Pablo, Isabela, Philippines. The church was built in 1624, making it the oldest in Isabela.

Architecture

The Baroque-styled church was constructed using bricks mixed with riverstones, adobe and coral stones. Its belfry of six layers, including the circular apex made of adobe, was the tallest in the Cagayan Valley.

History

The church was damaged during the World War II. In 1949, it was destroyed by the 7-magnitude earthquake that hit the Cagayan Valley, and its roof was burned down in the 1950s. Unable to renovate, a smaller church, one-third the size of San Pablo Church, was built inside the walls.

Present situation

Fronting the church is a patio overgrown with grass. Still standing is the church's facade, with visible bas-relief and religious icons on each side. The church's arched main entrance, vigil room, support for the choir loft, and buttresses, which continue to support the structure, are still visible.

Diggings of sacred grounds, through the ancient walls and a tunnel toward the church's altar, were reportedly conducted by people looking for the Yamashita's treasure.

The National Museum of the Philippines declared the church as a national cultural treasure.

Gallery

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  Facade
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  Belfry
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  Interior