I was able to visit Pamplona’s old churches and museums, which were built on a hilltop above the city. Not only were these churches and museums beautiful, they were also very majestic.
These churches were built during the Spanish Colonization. They are considered as one of the most magnificent churches in Cagayan.
The church of Pamplona is a beautiful and magnificent example of how the Spanish colonizers build their churches in Cagayan. It was constructed between 1525 and 1530 by a Spaniard named Nuño Alvarez, who had been hired by Archbishop Juan de Zumárraga to build churches in his new outpost that would be called Pamplona (which means “many hills” or “many peaks”).
The church is located on a hill of its own own, high above the sea and nearby mountains. The church’s construction was interrupted many times during its long life, with different groups winning possession over it until it finally fell into ruin for good around 1715.
The province of Cagayan is home to two Spanish colonial churches that were built in the village of Pamplona. They are known as “the old churches” and they are beautiful. They have grand interiors, though they were built in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
The Church of Pamplona in Cagayan was built during the Spanish Colonial period and dates back to 1723.
The image above is taken from the book “Monumentos y Monumentales en el Archivo Municipal de Cagayan” by Dr. Carlos Caraveo. It shows one of the old Spanish churches which is known as the Church of Pamplona. This church has been preserved from its original condition and expert restoration was done to restore it back to its original state and make it look like a modern one. The Church of Pamplona also hosted many famous people like Juan de Salazar, Jose Rizal, Emilio Aguinaldo, Jose Rizal’s sister Eugenia Magsaysay and president Carlos P. Garcia who are all historical figures in Philippine history. The church has been declared as National Treasure by the National Museum under Republic Act 6919 or on Cultural Heritage Preservation Act which was passed by Republic Act 6657 or Philippine Cultural Heritage.
The town of Pamplona is on the east coast of Cagayan province. The town is easy to reach by plane, bus and train as it is located in the heart of the province. There are also several small towns in the area with which you can visit other towns.
The church itself was built in 1422, with an inscription dated 1426 stating that it was dedicated to St.. Juan, who according to legend helped drive out the Spanish invaders from Cagayan in 1665. The church was originally built for a chapel and had one side covered by a large dome surmounted by a statue of St.. Juan and his helpers – two Palanca brothers, Sursock and Pelon (St. Joseph’s twin brothers) which were also carved from limestone blocks; During World War II as many as over 2,000 people were interned here to be held for trial; the church served for three years as a prison for Japanese war criminals captured during World War.
Ancient churches such as the Cathedral of Pamplona (1462AD) and the Basilica of Saint Mary (1501AD) are both impressive structures. Yet in Cagayan, they have been abandoned and vandalized over time.