Paoay Church and Belfry, Paoay, Ilocos Norte

The Church of San Agustin in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, popularly known as the Paoay Church, exudes a silhouette of mystery; its eccentric form seems to deviate from its function as a place of worship. Constructed under the supervision of Augustinian missionaries from 1704 to 1793, the Paoay Church was built using coral bricks and blocks using earthquake baroque architecture—an art form that employs elaborate designs, decorative surface elements, strong contrast of light and shadow, and senses of energy, tension, and movement—with a blend of Moorish architectural designs, giving it an eerie yet majestic ambiance. Old and rugged, the Paoay Church features a façade of stylized Chinese clouds, walls adorned with intricate yet weathered lens, roulettes, and coats of arms, and 24 massive buttresses adorned with curving scrolls unparalleled throughout the archipelago—11 on each side and two at its rear—supporting its thick walls.