San Agustin Church and Manila Cathedral

Two of Manila’s most famous churches can be found in close proximity to each other within the historic walled city of Intramuros. The 16th-century San Agustin Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the oldest church in the Philippines and was the only building in Intramuros to survive heavy bombing in World War II. It boasts an impressive interior with trompe l’oeil effects, a Baroque pulpit and a majestic pipe organ, and the museum houses treasures of Old Manila. A few blocks away, the Manila Cathedral, restored many times since the original version was built 450 years ago, hosts religious artworks and sacred relics and was visited by Pope Francis in 2015.

Located in Intramuros (the Walled City), the oldest part of Manila, this is the oldest stone church in the Philippines. Construction began in 1586 and was completed in 1607. I truly consider this to be a miracle church after all it has been through - 2 major fires; earthquakes in 1645, 1754, 1852, 1863, and 1880; the Seven Year’s War in which the British sacked and looted Manila in 1762; the surrender of the Spanish to the Americans during the Spanish-American War in 1898, and bombardment by the Americans and Japanese as the Americans liberated Manila in 1945.