Information about Paoay Church

Paoay Church

Paoay Church is a Roman Catholic church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte province, completed in 1710 after 2 decades of construction. With a massive pediment and complementary bell tower standing imposingly on an expansive plain, the church is famous for an architecture that blends baroque, gothic, Chinese, and Javanese.

Its official name is the Saint Augustine Church. Already a declared National Cultural Treasure in 1973, Paoay Church was classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 under the collective group “Baroque Churches of the Philippines”. It shares the distinction with San Agustin Church in Manila, Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion Church in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur province, and Santo Tomas de Villanueva Parish Church in Miagao, Iloilo province.

In 2018, the National Historical Commission launched the restoration project worth PHP 30 million, further acknowledging the church as part of the national patrimony.

How to get there

Paoay Church is located at Marcos Ave, Paoay, Ilocos Norte. The Church is 45 minutes to an hour away from the bus terminal. You can ride a van or tricycle, just ask the driver to drop you off at the church.

Best time to visit

Paoay Church is an indoor attraction and can be visited anytime of day.