It’s Holy Week once again, and no doubt many Filipinos will be visiting seven (or 14) churches to pray the Stations of the Cross and reflect. Visita Iglesia or church visits are customarily done during Maundy Thursday or Good Friday, though it’s commonly practiced during any day of the Holy Week.

Over the years, I’ve visited a lot of churches, chapels, and sites of religious significance in different provinces around the Philippines. Though I’m not really an expert on heritage sites, I thought it would be timely to come up with a list of some of the most beautiful and unique churches I’ve been to around the country.

For this list, I included a selection of 14 churches (and a couple of church ruins) from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao that I personally found really beautiful along with some trivia about what makes them worth visiting any time of the year.

Paoay Church, Ilocos Norte

The San Agustin Church of Paoay is the Roman Catholic parish church in the town of Paoay, Ilocos Norte. Completed in 1710, the church is most famous for its distinct architecture highlighted by the ornate buttresses on the sides and back of the main church facade. The church was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 and is considered as one of the best examples of Baroque Churches of the Philippines.

What I find interesting is that Paoay church makes use of “Earthquake Baroque architecture,” a type of building design which adapts to the seismic condition of the country. In the Philippines, destruction of earlier churches from frequent earthquakes resulted in making church proportions lower and wider, with thicker side walls and heavy buttresses, and upper structures made with lighter materials to ensure stability during earthquakes.

Tukon Chapel, Batanes

Mt. Carmel Chapel, also known as Tukon Chapel, was first established on May 3, 2008, at Sitio Tukon, Barangay Chanarian, Batanes. This lovely chapel adopted the design of a traditional Ivatan house made of stone walls, making it the only chapel with such a design.

The chapel’s stunning location perched on top of a hill overlooking the lush greenery of Batanes, as well as the Pacific Ocean and the West Philippine Sea, makes it a solemn and tranquil chapel perfect for quiet reflections. The stone chapel is also considered a dream wedding destination for many people.

Pudtol Church Ruins, Apayao

Apayao is one of the lesser-known provinces in the Philippines, and one of the interesting sites you can visit here are the old Spanish church ruins located at the town center, right at the back of the Pudtol Municipal Hall and beside the public school and the new church.

It was originally built in the 1600’s in an effort by the Spanish missionaries to Christianize the Isnegs, the indigenous people of Apayao, who resisted the foreign religion and staged attacks on the church structure. The church was later abandoned. What now stands of the original structure are portions of the side and back walls and the main altar section. The structure is now converted into a garden chapel with an altar devoted to the Our Lady of Lourdes.

Tumauini Church, Isabela

The Parish Church of San Matias in Tumauini, Isabela was built in the 1780s by the Dominicans. Right next to the church facade is a cylindrical, confectionery-like bell tower, said to be the only one of its kind in the Philippines. From afar, the white bell tower does resemble some kind of tiered wedding cake.

Despite being partly damaged during World War II, the church was restored to its original form by the faithful of Tumauini and is now considered one of the best-preserved churches in the province. The church has an artistic brick facade, while the interiors showcase delicate brickwork and old wooden statues of saints that give the church a very rustic vibe.

Taal Basilica, Batangas

The Taal Basilica, also known as the Minor Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours, is a minor basilica in the town of Taal, Batangas within the Archdiocese of Lipa. This church is considered to be the largest church in the Philippines and in Asia, standing 88.6 meters(291 ft) long and 48 meters (157 ft) wide.

For those based in Metro Manila, the Taal Basilica is one of the easier churches you can visit by land, and it’s become sort of a motourism destination and landmark for many riders/bikers doing the Taal Loop.

The basilica was damaged by a magnitude 5.5 earthquake that struck Tingloy, Batangas, and significantly damaged further by twin earthquakes (magnitudes 5.6 and 6.0) that struck the neighboring towns Mabini and Taysan several days later in April 2017. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines is undertaking some precautionary measures in order to preserve the basilica.

Bato Church, Catanduanes

The St. John the Baptist Church also known as the “Bato Church” is the oldest church in Catanduanes, an island province in the Bicol region. This picturesque church is located right beside the highway parallel to the extensive Bato River.

Built with mortar and coral limestones, the church has stood the test of time and weathered frequent violent typhoons, earthquakes and other natural calamities. This well-preserved heritage site is one of the major historical landmarks for tourists visiting Catanduanes.

Daraga Church, Albay

Daraga Church, whose patron saint is the Nuestra Señora De La Porteria (Our Lady of the Gate Parish Church), in Albay has a massive structure made mostly of volcanic stones with a belfry on the left side and a convent on the right. It is said to have been based on a Baroque-Rococo structure with Spanish influence.

Presently, its facade is white due to the lime coating applied for preservation and restoration purposes. Though it has lost a bit of the old-world charm seen in aged brick and stone structures because of its color, it still looks lovely with all the adornments, carvings and niches on the facade. Its location on Santa Maria Hill overlooking the slopes of Mount Mayon is quite picturesque as well.

Miagao Church, Iloilo

Named after the patron saint of the parish, the Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva in Miagao, Iloilo is one of the most beautiful Baroque churches in the country. This is one of the four baroque churches all built during the Spanish colonial era which were all inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.

Completed in 1797, this church served as a defensive fort for the town of Miag-ao during the Spanish era. The church is considered a national treasures for its historical and cultural importance. Check out those incredibly detailed carvings.

Panay Church, Capiz

The Sta. Monica Parish Church or Panay Church is a historic church in Panay, near Roxas City in the province of Capiz in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. The first church was constructed in 1774, but was heavily damaged by a typhoon in 1875. The present church was constructed in 1884. The church is built of coral blocks and is approximately 70 metres long, 25 m in width and 18 m in height; the walls are about 3 metres thick.

What makes this church one of the major landmarks of Capiz is that it is home to an unusually large bell, in fact the biggest church bell in the Philippines. The belfry to the left of the church contains the Panay bell, which was cast using sacks of coins donated by the townspeople. The bell measures seven feet in diameter, five feet in height, and weighs 10,400 kilograms (10 tonnes).

Simala Shrine, Cebu

Although it’s not the oldest or most historic church on the island province, the Simala Parish Church in Sibonga, Cebu has become one of the most well-known and most-visited churches for pilgrims in recent years, because of its unique architecture. Also known as the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist in Sibonga, Simala Shrine, Simala Church, Mother Mary Castle Church, Birhen sa Simala, Mama Mary Shrine of Simala, and Miraculous Mama Mary Church, this religious site resembles a castle.

Considered by many as one of the most beautiful Churches in Cebu, Simala Shrine is a place of pilgrimage for devotees. It’s known as the Miraculous Mother Mary Church after the Virgin Mary statue  housed within the Shrine was seen crying, it attracts hundreds of people every day hoping their prayers will be answered.

Baclayon Church, Bohol

Bohol is home to many beautiful churches, but if I had to pick just one, La Purisima Concepcion de la Virgen Maria Parish Church in Baclayon is one of the most interesting. This church has been declared a National Cultural Treasure, it’s usually one the more popular churches to want to visit during Holy Week and Visita Iglesia in Bohol.

The Baclayon Church was founded in 1596, and became a parish in 1717. It is of Neoclassical style, with a simply designed façade, and the images of saints in the interior. It sustained major damage after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Bohol in 2013, but the church was reconstructed and completed in 2017.

St. James Church, Dapitan

St. James Church in Dapitan in Zamboanga del Norte is a Baroque-styled church built-in 1871 by the Jesuits, in honor of St. James the Great. This magnificent creation, in the heart of Dapitan City, is made of indigenous materials such as rocks, sea corals and lime, and is still well-preserved up to this day. This old Spanish structure symbolizes the early Christianization of the city.

What makes this church really fascinating are the interiors since the ceiling and dome design has an extremely dizzying pattern. This church is reportedly where Dr. Jose Rizal attended mass during Sundays, during his exile in Dapitan. The ceiling’s one-of-a-kind design and the historical significance make this church worth a visit.

Spanish Church Ruins, Camiguin

Much of the island province of Camiguin was formed through earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In 1871, the eruption of Mt. Vulcan submerged the old town of Catarman, pushing it below the sea, leaving behind ruins of a church and belltower, along with the more iconic Sunken Cemetery, which is marked by a huge cross in the sea.

The Guiob Church Ruins, a fort-like structure under the trees is all that remains from the old church of the island’s Spanish era capital called Cotta Bato. This may not be a traditional church like others on this list, but the site offers a peaceful site for prayers and reflection. I love the open air feel of nature.

Jimenez Church, Misamis Occidental

The San Juan Bautista Parish Church, commonly referred to as Jimenez Church, is a late-19th century, Baroque church located at Brgy. Poblacion, Jimenez, Misamis Occidental. The parish church, under the patronage of Saint John the Baptist, is under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ozamiz. This church was declared a National Cultural Treasure of the Philippines in 2001.

The interiors of the church have one of the best preserved interiors of a Roman Catholic church in Mindanao. The church features a painting done in 1898 and portions made of tabique pampango, a local version of a dry wall using panels of interwoven slats or branches and covered with lime.

These are just a few beautiful and interesting churches all around the Philippines that I’ve personally visited. I know there are many more churches around the country, but I hope these give you an idea of where to go for Visita Iglesia in the future.

Happy Holy Week!