Historical Sites

Deep in the quiet coastal municipality of Dimiao, nestled along the southern ethos of Bohol, lies a structure that feels less like a remnant of Spanish colonial rule and more like a scene from a fever dream. We often think of heritage sites as static monuments—stone churches standing guard against…

When you travel just eight kilometers south of Dumaguete City, leaving the urban bustle for the coastal breeze of Negros Oriental, you are greeted by a structure that defies the architectural norms of the Visayas. Facing the vast Bohol Sea, the San Agustin Church of Bacong is not merely a…

The story of the Immaculate Conception Parish Church in Oton, Iloilo, is less a chronicle of faith and more a tragic epic of architectural hubris battling geological destiny. Founded in 1566 as Ogtong, the town was the second Spanish settlement in the Philippines after Cebu, establishing its pivotal role as…

The Campanario de Dumaguete, while globally recognized as the paramount civic and religious landmark of Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, possesses a foundational history rooted not in ecclesiastical design but in the rigorous exigencies of Spanish colonial military defense. Its genesis is directly traceable to the volatile socio-political landscape of the…

If you’ve ever travelled the coast road of Baclayon, Bohol, chances are your eyes have been drawn to the stately mansions standing guard over the Visayan Sea. But few possess the sheer scale and storied soul of the Malon House. This imposing structure, dating back to a time before the…

The history of Miagao, Iloilo, is often narrated through the epic scale of its Miagao Fortress Church, a UNESCO masterpiece completed in 1797. Yet, a short distance away, another, less-heralded stone sentinel stands as a crucial physical link to the town’s evolution from a simple administrative post to a commercial…

Have you ever arrived at Siquijor Port and been immediately greeted by a looming, solitary stone tower? That’s the Siquijor Belltower or Watchtower of the St. Francis of Assisi Parish Church in Poblacion, and trust me, it’s more than just a place for ringing bells. It’s the island’s original stone…

For the curious traveler stepping off the ferry at Siquijor Port 1, the immediate greeting is not a sign for a resort, but the formidable, austere silhouette of the Saint Francis de Assisi Parish Church. While its younger, more ornate sister in Lazi often steals the heritage spotlight, the Siquijor…

There are houses, and then there are monuments—architectural anchors that refuse to be swept away by the river of history. In the heart of Jaro, Iloilo City, stands Casa Mariquit, officially the Javellana–Lopez Heritage House, a seemingly unassuming structure that is, in truth, an 1880s-1890s home of grand, yet understated…

The Rocha Ancestral House, nestled in the historic Sitio Ubos of Tagbilaran City, Bohol, isn’t just a house—it’s a time capsule forged from coral stone, molave, and the immense wealth of 19th-century maritime trade. Often referred to simply as Casa Rocha, this architectural behemoth is one of the Visayas’ most…