San Pablo Church Ruins
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| San Pablo Church | |
|---|---|
 The church in 2026 | |
.svg)  San Pablo Church Location in Luzon .svg) San Pablo Church Location in the Philippines | |
| 17°26′54″N 121°47′37″E / 17.44833°N 121.79361°E | |
| Location | San Pablo, Isabela |
| Country | Philippines |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Ruins |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Inactive |
| Heritage designation | National Cultural Treasure |
| Architectural type | Church building |
| Style | Baroque |
| Completed | 1624 |
San Pablo Church is a ruined Roman Catholic church located in San Pablo, Isabela, Philippines. The church was built in 1624, making it the oldest in Isabela.[1]
Present situation
The church was damaged during World War II.[2] In 1949, it was destroyed by the 7-magnitude earthquake that hit the Cagayan Valley, and its roof was burned down in the 1950s.[3] Unable to renovate, a smaller church, one-third the size of San Pablo Church, was built inside the walls.[4]
Fronting the church is a patio overgrown with grass.[5] Still standing is the church's facade, with visible bas-relief and religious icons on each side.[3] The church's arched main entrance, vigil room, support for the choir loft, and buttresses, which continue to support the structure, are still visible.[5]
Restoration
The National Museum of the Philippines declared the church as a national cultural treasure, which by law makes it a priority for future restoration and government funding. No restoration program has yet to be initiated by the government's main cultural agencies. Parish and local government officials have also not yet requested restoration programs towards the national government's cultural agencies.[6]
