Why You Want to vote Vigan Ilocos Sur for the World's New 7 Wonder Cities

Vigan, Ilocos Sur is one of the  21 finalist in the  world's new  7 wonders cities. Founded in the 16th century, Vigan is the best preserved example of a Spanish colonial town in Asia . Its architecture reflects the union of cultural elements from  Philippines, China and Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel in East and Southeast Asia. 

Here are the list  of tourist spot why Vigan is one of the best city in the world:

Vigan Heritage Village

The moment you arrive at the place, you’ll immediately see the cobble-stoned streets which have those unique houses. Actually, they’re not really unique; they were the houses during the Spanish colonization. Due to the place’s one-of-a-kind look, they belonged to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

From inquirer.net

If you are wondering how the architecture was built so unique, that is because they were built by Chinese workers. Therefore, the construction of the villages are  reflection of the fusion of Chinese and Spanish European culture.

Century Old Church

Also known as St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral, the facade features Chinese lion dog ornaments and above the front door is a niche that represents the conversion of St. Paul. The Fu dogs design carved above your exterior doors is a testament to the strong Chinese heritage of Vigan. Inside, the cathedral has a high altar with silver clay panels. 

Century Old Church from juantamad.com

The first Vigan Cathedral was ordered and built in 1574 by Juan de Salcedo. Another version of the church was rebuilt in 1641 The current baroque building was completed in 1800 Its bell tower is separated at Plaza Burgos.

Museums

Visiting some of Vigan’s museums gives you a nostalgic sense of how life was like back then. If you’re into antiques and history, this is absolutely a must-see for you. Stopovers in Father Burgos and Crisologo Museums are part of the kalesa tour.

Baluarte

The Baluarte is a must see attraction for first time visitors or even for those who have visited Vigan before. Owned by Mr. Chavit Singson a politician in the Philippines. Baluarte has a mini zoo with animals from other countries  and others endemic to the Philippines. It is a private collection and is therefore continuously being improved. 

From treklens.com

Visitors can start with a visit to the rows of cages where they can see lions, Bengal tigers, peacocks, civet cats, iguanas, pythons and other reptiles and birds. In this part of Baluarte, people can also see cloud rat of the Philippines, an endemic nocturnal animal of the Philippine Cordillera. This large rodent is a herbivore and hunted by large birds and the local population.