Laoag Cathedral
Laoag Cathedral | |
---|---|
Saint William’s Cathedral | |
Nueva Segovia | |
Diocese | Laoag |
Clergy | |
Bishop(s) | Renato Mayugba |
Laoag Cathedral, canonically known as Saint William's Cathedral (
History
The first church of Laoag was made of
The church was occupied by the revolutionists in 1898, and by the American forces in 1899. The ownership of the church was contested by the
It became a cathedral when the Diocese of Laoag was created in 1961. The church was again renovated from 1971 to 1972. It was slightly damaged by an earthquake in 1983.[2]
Features
The church is known for its Italian Renaissance design.[3] It also has an unusual two-storey façade, supported by two pairs of columns on each side of the arched entrance. The top of the façade holds a recessed niche that showcases the image of the city's patron saint, San Guillermo el Ermitaño. It has windows made from capiz with wrought iron screens.
It has a main retablo and two smaller ones on its sides. The lower level of the huge retablo contains the image of Saint William, the parish's patron saint.[2]
Sinking Bell Tower
The church is also famous for its "Sinking Bell Tower", which sinks into the ground at a rate of an inch a year. It has survived several minor earthquakes since its construction, causing scholars to label it an Earthquake Baroque style structure.[3][4] The tower, built presumably after the 1707 earthquake, has a foundation of 90 metres (300 ft).[3][4] It is made of locally manufactured bricks joined by molasses and juice of sablot leaves[4] mixed with lime and sand, and reinforced with four massive columns on each corner and a winding stairway leading to the belfry. It used to have a large clock on the tower's western face.[5]
Notes
- ^ National Historical Institute 1993
- ^ a b Dela Torre 2006, p. 174
- ^ a b c Dela Torre 2006, p. 172
- ^ a b c "The Sinking Bell Tower". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
- ^ Dela Torre 2006, p. 173
Bibliography
- Dela Torre, Visitacion (2006). The Ilocos Heritage. Makati: Tower Book House. ISBN 978-971-91030-9-7.
- Historical Markers: Regions I-IV and CAR (in Filipino). Manila: National Historical Institute (Philippines). 1993. p. 88. ISBN 9715380611.
External links
- Media related to Laoag Cathedral at Wikimedia Commons