Information about San Joaquin Church

San Joaquin Church

Photo by Southwest Tours

Built during the Spanish era in the late 1800s, the church of San Joaquin in Poblacion has become Iloilo's symbol of the victory of good over evil. 

San Joaquin Church was erected with the help of famous sculptors, skilled masons, and celebrated craftsmen and painters from Mexico and Spain. When Friar Thomas Santaren, who was the town's parish priest at the time of the church's construction, heard about the victory of the Spanish, he instructed the workers to create a bas-relief version of the Battle of Tetouan. The mural was called Rendicion de Tetuan and shows military scenes between the Spanish army and the Morrocans. 

San Joaquin Church was declared a national shrine in September 1977. The militaristic design drew admiration and visitors from all over the country. The church was later proclaimed as one of the Cultural Heritage Churches of the Philippines by the National Historical Institute in November 2001.

The church was later damaged by the Pacific war and a major earthquake. The national government and the people of San Joaquin helped restore the church during the 1980s. 

Best time to visit

To get a better look at the church's famous facade, it is best to visit during the dry season which usually starts in late December and last until the last weeks of May.