FAMOUS CHURCHES IN THE PHILIPPINES

1. San Agustin Church

Intramuros, Manila

A church in Manila under the auspices of the

Order of Saint Augustine, the current San
Agustin Church is actually the third to be
established on the site. The first was built with
bamboo and nipa in 1571, but destroyed by fire
in 1574. The second was wooden, but similarly
burned down in 1583. The third is the one still
standing today, and in 1993 it became one of
four local Spanish-era churches to be chosen by
UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, collectively
known as the Baroque Churches of the
Philippines.

2. Manila Cathedral
Intramuros, Manila

Formally known as the Kalakhang Katedral

Basílika ng Maynilà, the Manila Cathedral is a
Roman Catholic basilica dedicated to the
Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the
Immaculate Conception. It also serves as the
See of the Archbishop of Manila. Originally
established in 1571, the eighth and current
rendition of the cathedral was completed in
1958. It was renovated and repaired for
earthquake retrofitting and subsidence
prevention in 2012, and re-opened to the public
after a complete renovation in 2014.

3. Calasiao Church
Calasiao, Pangasinan

Also known locally as Saints Peter and Paul Parish

Church, Calasiao Church is a baroque church that
was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the
National Museum of the Philippines and the
National Commission for Culture and the Arts. This
Spanish-colonial-era church’s main composition
are massive bricks or ladrillo with a fortress-like
façade designed to withstand revolts and
rebellions. Beside it stands Museo Calasiao, a
mini-museum housing vintage photos and
historical pieces of the church.
4. Binondo Church
Binondo, Manila

There are many churches in Manila and this one

was founded by Dominican priests in 1596. The
Binondo Church is also known as the Minor
Basilica of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz (the first Filipino
saint) and Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary
Parish, and has been rebuilt numerous times
over the centuries due to constant damage by
war and natural disasters. Sporting historic
Spanish and European baroque design
elements, the church has retained its original
character. However, only the western façade
and the octagon belfry, which suggests
the Chinese culture of the parishioners, are what
remain from the original structure.

5. Quiapo Church
Quiapo, Manila

Quiapo Church is very popular because it is the

location of the reputedly miraculous Nuestro
Señor Jesús Nazareno, better known as the
Black Nazarene. Located in downtown Manila
in Plaza Miranda, the baroque church was
expanded in 1984 to accommodate more
devotees. Only its façade with twisted columns
and the dome at the transept were retained
from its classic design. The church was
officially declared a Minor Basilica in 1988.
 FAMOUS CHURCHES IN THE WORLD
1. SAGRADA FAMILIA
This Church located in Barcelona, Spain is
a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a
Roman Catholic Church planned by
architect Antoni Gaudí and its construction
began in 1882. However, it remains
incomplete till today. This is mainly
because of its gigantic size which means
that in the time taken to complete building
the original plan, the earliest construction
would need to be renovated and this
process would never end. We have also
covered about largest Hindu
temples around the world. It is estimated
that a tour of the whole churchwould take
about a week.

2. SAINT BASIL’S CATHEDRAL

This famous church is located in Moscow, the
capital of Russia and marks the exact centre
of the city. It was completed in 1561 under the
reign of Ivan the Terrible and has a very
colourful architecture unusual for a church.
Like the Sagrada Familia, it is a UNESCO
World Heritage Site and is perhaps one of the
most famous Churches in the world because
it appears in many movies. We have also
listed beautiful castles Built Around the World.

3. ST. PETER’S BASILICA

This Roman Catholic Church is the seat of Papal
power and is located in Vatican City, an enclave
in Italy. This church was designed at the height of
the Renaissance by the famous artist
Michelangelo and has the tallest dome in the
world measuring more than 136 meters. It has
become the most famous church in the Vatican
and one of the most popular tourist sites in
Europe. This is the largest church in the
world with an internal area of 15160 square
meters that stretches over 186 meters in length.
4. ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL
The next famous church is also
located in London, on top of a hill –
the highest point in London. It is the
seat of the Bishop of
the Church of England. The church in
its current form was built in the 17th
century through its predecessor, the
earlier St. Paul’s Cathedral was built
in 604 AD.

5. CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY

This Basilica is located in Bethlehem,
Palestine and is believed to be the
birthplace of Jesus. One of the Famous
Churches around the world. Its
construction was started by Constantine in
327AD and today it is UNESCO World
Heritage Site. This church, however, does
not see many tourists because of the
ongoing conflict in Palestine, but some
believe the truly devout worshippers are
protected from all danger by
a divine power.