San Pablo Church Ruins

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.

History

The church was damaged during World War II. In 1949, it was destroyed by the 7-magnitude earthquake that hit the Cagayan Valley, and its roof was burned down in the 1950s. Unable to renovate, a smaller church, one-third the size of San Pablo Church, was built inside the walls.

Present situation

Fronting the church is a patio overgrown with grass. Still standing is the church's facade, with visible bas-relief and religious icons on each side. The church's arched main entrance, vigil room, support for the choir loft, and buttresses, which continue to support the structure, are still visible.
The National Museum of the Philippines declared the church as a national cultural treasure.

Architecture

The Baroque-styled church was constructed using bricks mixed with riverstones, adobe and coral stones. Its belfry of six layers, including the circular apex made of adobe, was the tallest in the Cagayan Valley.