VIGAN CITY

AGE: 438 Years Old

Prosperity, Urbanization and Economic Development can not Destroy our Rich Culture and Heritage

The Philippine's one and only World Heritage City

PROGRESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL AND HERITAGE CONSERVATION BLEND TOGETHER

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The City of Vigan (美岸, Hokkien (Pe̍h-ōe-jī): Bîgá; Mandarin Chinese (Pinyin): Měiàn; Ilocano: Dak-ili ti Bigan; Tagalog: Vīgân) is a classical city in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. It is the capital of the Province of Ilocos Sur. The city is located on the western coast of the large island of Luzon, facing the South China Sea.

It is a World Heritage Site in that it is one of numerous Hispanic towns in the Philippines, and is well-known for its cobblestone streets, and a unique architecture that fuses Philippine building design, and construction with colonial European architecture.

According to the latest Philippines census, it has a population of 47,246 people in 9,193 households.

Former Philippine president Elpidio Quirino, the 6th president of the Philippines, is born in Vigan, at the current location of the Provincial Jail (his father was a warden); and resided in the Syquia Mansion.

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Bonifacio St., Vigan City

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Nice photos and beautiful town.

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http://pinoyshooter.org/bogs/

Can they expand beyond the one street (Mena Crisologgo?) On the side streets are the old houses but not really preserved. They should expand maybe to more than just the one street.

Can they expand beyond the one street (Mena Crisologgo?) On the side streets are the old houses but not really preserved. They should expand maybe to more than just the one street.

Actually the other side of the street is Plaridel Street, and all the houses there are ancestral and they are actually preserved. The other side is V delos Reyes St which in the same way are old preserved houses. But unlike Crisologo St., those streets are not in cobblestone. However, they is a law in Vigan that prevents and regulates the altering, demolition and re-modifying the hundreds of old houses here, so they are all actually preserved...

MCDONALD's VIGAN is just one of the establishments that comply with the preservation and conservation of Vigan's heritage

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Actually the other side of the street is Plaridel Street, and all the houses there are ancestral and they are actually preserved. The other side is V delos Reyes St which in the same way are old preserved houses. But unlike Crisologo St., those streets are not in cobblestone. However, they is a law in Vigan that prevents and regulates the altering, demolition and re-modifying the hundreds of old houses here, so they are all actually preserved...

The cobblestone street is relatively a recent addition. I think it was laid out about 10 or 12 years ago. It does not date back to colonial times.

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http://pinoyshooter.org/bogs/

MCDONALD's VIGAN is just one of the establishments that comply with the preservation and conservation of Vigan's heritage

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Naku, superficial masyado yung McDonald's. Sabi nga nila, kitsch. Kung compliance pag-uusapan, dapat sinunod nila yung design ng dating Seminario na nakatayo dun mismo sa site. Kaya nga may issue diyan dati. Ang ginaya, yung belltower, pero ang design is a mockery of Philippine colonial architecture. Parang sinasabi ng design, after 200 years, ito na ang kaya ng mga arkitektong Pilipino !

^^^^ I agree! Is that the best they can do? HAHAHA! Obviously if this continues, the philippine architecture is really GOING DOWN THE DRAIN! Haha!!!

MCDONALD's VIGAN is just one of the establishments that comply with the preservation and conservation of Vigan's heritage

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Kung hinde ako nag-kakamali, ito dati ang nakatayo dyan.

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Sang-ayon ako dun sa obserbasyon ni Pinoy_ako at amitaliri619.

Mukhang trying hard yung estilo na yan na makibagay sa nakapaligid na mga gusali. Mukha syang too toursity e.g. disneyland.

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http://pinoyshooter.org/bogs/

Overture,
Yung isang picture mo ang seminario. Yung may fu dog sa harapan. Holy Rosary College ito.

Overture,
Yung isang picture mo ang seminario. Yung may fu dog sa harapan. Holy Rosary College ito.

Manong Jun, Holy Rosary Naga? Hinde ba ito yung lumang seminario sa Vigan?

@overturph,yes that is the old holy rosary college,then turned to saint paul college, na ngayon ay shopping center at department store na. hay naku,, nagkaroon din ng issue ito eh nang pumasok ang isang malaking shopping center.

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MABINI STREET, VIGAN CITY
Buildings here should comply with the Vigan Architecture! Like this new building at the background [Yellow Orange], the windows have arch and old style window. But I am not still convinced because this mid-rise buildings are actually a threat to the old glory of Vigan.. But, if we prevent these establishment to rise, Vigan might suffer an economic failure...???

@overturph,yes that is the old holy rosary college,then turned to saint paul college, na ngayon ay shopping center at department store na. hay naku,, nagkaroon din ng issue ito eh nang pumasok ang isang malaking shopping center.

So the old photo is the old seminary in Vigan which burned down in the 60's? Does the diocese own the land and leases it out to commercial interests?

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So the old photo is the old seminary in Vigan which burned down in the 60's? Does the diocese own the land and leases it out to commercial interests?

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http://pinoyshooter.org/bogs/

Yung kinatatayuan po ngayon ng McDo ay yun po ang dating seminaryo, ang lupang yun ay pag-aari ng simbahan like u said po. And yes, the land is for lease for commercial interest, sa katabi po ng mc do ay mga fastfood din at isang shopping center, banks, etc. na lupa rin ng simbahan. Sana nga po eh nagdevelop nalang sila ng ibang lugar para sa commerce.:ohno::ohno::ohno:

Yung kinatatayuan po ngayon ng McDo ay yun po ang dating seminaryo, ang lupang yun ay pag-aari ng simbahan like u said po. And yes, the land is for lease for commercial interest, sa katabi po ng mc do ay mga fastfood din at isang shopping center, banks, etc. na lupa rin ng simbahan. Sana nga po eh nagdevelop nalang sila ng ibang lugar para sa commerce.:ohno::ohno::ohno:

And who said that the clergy were poor business managers.

I'm not quite sure, but I think this is similar to what they did in Lipa, where instead of a fence for the Cathedral, you have lots of stalls and commercial establishments. And also a fast food chain in the Balayan church compound. The best real estate location in a city or town would be the church. Centrally located and gets a lot of foot traffic.

I wonder where does the clergy invest the rental income or where does it go? Hmmmmm...........If i believe in conspiracy theories, it would be understandable why the clergy is against the RH bill.

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http://pinoyshooter.org/bogs/

And who said that the clergy were poor business managers.

I'm not quite sure, but I think this is similar to what they did in Lipa, where instead of a fence for the Cathedral, you have lots of stalls and commercial establishments. And also a fast food chain in the Balayan church compound. The best real estate location in a city or town would be the church. Centrally located and gets a lot of foot traffic.

I wonder where does the clergy invest the rental income or where does it go? Hmmmmm...........If i believe in conspiracy theories, it would be understandable why the clergy is against the RH bill.

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http://pinoyshooter.org/bogs/

=> Oh yes, it makes sense, it really makes sense. Where are those penny going? OMG! I don't like what's happening, and gosh, our heritage can never be the same again unless preserved..:bash::bash::bash::bash::bash::bash::ohno::ohno::ohno::ohno::ohno:

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MANG INASAL VIGAN...

CULTURAL DANCERS DURING THE GRAND OPENING OF MANG INASAL VIGAN BRANCH TODAY!

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MANY FOREIGN TOURISTS WITNESSED THE CULTURAL SHOW OF THE MANG INASAL VIGAN BRANCH OPENING LIKE THIS ONE AT THE PHOTO

=> Happy fiesta Vigan!!

Conserving the
Vigan lifestyle
By Augusto F. Villalon
A RECENT visit to Vigan with a foreign colleague on a mission to assess the efforts to conserve the town by the municipal officials and local residents since 1987 turned out to be much more than just doing a survey.

We realized that the charm of Vigan began to take hold the instant we checked into Gordion Inn, a delightful bed-and-breakfast inn tucked under the high ceilings of vast ground floor in a stately century-old home. Its brick café overlooking a luxuriant garden patio offered the perfect vignette of the 19th-century scenes that Vigan is all about. What better introduction could there be to the quality of life in this fascinating town?

After walking the entire historic center of Vigan for a firsthand look at the town, and after a round of meetings with town officials, the clergy, businessmen and private homeowners, the extent of the conservation activities were apparent.

What became more apparent was that the conservation of Vigan was beyond just taking care of the old structures but that the life that continues to go on within those structures must be kept. After all, what good are well-conserved heritage structures that stand empty without any life in them?

First effort
The first effort to conserve the historic structures of Vigan started in 1987 when the National Museum assisted a group of concerned residents to produce an inventory of heritage houses. It listed close to 190 houses.

In 1996, another survey done by the Save Vigan Ancestral Homes Association (SVAHAI), by a grant from the Toyota Foundation, listed approximately 120 homes.

However, it does not take an inventory to see that a good number of the heritage homes in the town have disappeared and are endangered. Walking in the town gives enough evidence of the destruction.

Now that destruction is being controlled. More people have become aware of the need and have become involved in conservation today than the handful crying out in 1987. Now conservation is one of the primary topics.

What makes the Vigan conservation movement noteworthy is that it has always been spearheaded by NGOs, but always with strong municipal government support that continues to grow with so much enthusiasm and vigor.

Reinforcing the NGO conservation programs, the Sangguniang Bayan of Vigan responded by enacting municipal ordinances specifying the historic center boundaries of the town where structures must be strictly conserved. Another ordinance reaffirms that all conservation must be done in accordance with technically accepted principles. In support of the latter, Unesco and SVAHAI have written and will soon publish a handbook that outlines the conservation procedures to be used.

Public awareness and government mechanisms are clearly falling into place in Vigan to protect its heritage, even if some perceive it as happening too slowly.

More important, to signify the commitment of the municipal government of Vigan to conservation, the town submitted a dossier in 1998 that nominates their town for the Unesco World Heritage Listing. Inscription in the prestigious listing will at last accord Vigan the well-deserved status of being one of the most historically significant urban areas in the globe.

Vigan is definitely in the same league of uniqueness and high artistic character as Lijang in China, San Gimigniano in Italy, and Potosi in Mexico.

Special allure
The special allure of the town, as all Filipinos know, is that Vigan is where the country's largest collection of Hispanic-era architecture still stands along straight, narrow streets. What many Filipinos don't know is that Vigan has an equally significant (but smaller) collection of early 20th-century American-period architecture as well.

There are the usual tourist amenities: restaurants, antique shops and souvenir shops. A calesa ride takes you to the magnificent cathedral, truly worth a visit, and if you are fortunate to find it open, catch the dazzling collection of church treasures at Archbishop's Museum next door.

At the far end of the plaza, behind the gracious Palladian 20th-century Ilocos Sur Provincial Capitol, the Burgos Museum is practically the only opportunity for the visitor to enter a typical Vigan house.

Although every effort has been made to keep its interiors like a turn-of-the-century house, it is still laid out as a museum with excellent exhibits and didactic material. It is more institutional than residential.

While agreeing with scholars who have said Vigan is nothing without its houses, Vigan is more than an urban area with a magnificent collection of 19th-century architecture. Vigan is its people and the life they have always lived in the town and inside the structures that were their homes.

Over the centuries, the historic, cultural and geographic forces that shaped Vigan developed a special lifestyle that is unique in the Ilocos region and in the entire country. That lifestyle should continue into the next century. It provides the human touch that continues the flow of the energy of the ages into the heritage buildings.

Vigan is really more than the shattered homes that visitors pass through as they walk the historic center of the town. Those are only the envelopes that contain Vigan life, and the few houses that today still shelter Vigan life are inaccessible to the ordinary visitor.

The experience of Vigan changes as soon as the visitor enters one of the private homes, sees how the contemporary Viganense live with a mix of heirloom furniture, computer tables with ergonomic chairs, gas stoves, 1999 calendars hung on the walls together with faded sepia portraits of ancestors, all under the light of 80-year-old chandeliers.

What eludes tourists
Experiencing the heritage of Vigan is experiencing the poetry of Leona Florentino, seeing the magnificent Basi Revolt paintings at the Burgos Museum, seeing the residences and birthplaces of Philippine Presidents (Quirino) and eminent statesmen (Singson-Encarnacion, Mena Crisologo).

Tasting the heritage of Vigan is feasting on longganisa, lomo, pansit musiko, pipian, ipon and the unbeatable freshness of its pakbets and vegetable dishes that go with the cholesterol-deadly bagnet and the ever-present trio of tomatoes, onions and bagoong (kamatis, bagoong, lasuna or KBL). The taste of Vigan is practically unavailable in the town restaurants that prefer to serve generic Filipino food rather than the special Vigan cuisine.

What the survey mission found out was that it is the special Vigan lifestyle that gives substance to the town. It is the culture of Vigan, the energy that connects Vigan to its past and links it to its future.

With equal commitment that the inventory and conservation measures are being done for its historic structures, conservation of the Vigan lifestyle must be done.

Visiting Vigan is indeed taking a step backward. It is visiting our roots. It is indeed where history returns to life, but it is where the texture of Vigan life eludes the tourist.

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CREDITS TO THE OWNERS!!! Thanks!

VIGAN THREAD INVITES EVERYONE TO WITNESS THE CULTURE AND HERITAGE OF VIGAN!

VIGAN CITY FIESTA 2011 SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES
January 19-30, 2011
~SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES~

January 16 -24
NOVENA TO ST. PAUL
Bigueno’s start the festivities through a Novena to the beloved patron saint of Vigan.
...
January 19 (Wednesday) 7:00 PM, Plaza Burgos AVQ PRODUCTION NIGHT
- SIGLAT T ILOCANDIA VARIETY SHOW, ZARSUELA, ABEL ILOCO
FASHION SHOW AND CONCIERTO
- A night of talent and entertainment local talents in traditional and new form from Zarzuela Ilocana to fashion show sponsored by AVQ Productions.

January 20 (Thursday) 7:00 PM, Plaza Burgos DZNS NIGHT
- CELEBRITY DUET YEAR II AND PRODUCTIONS NUMBERS FROM DZNS
Show off their power in singing as they serenade us with powerful voices as Local singing celebrities duet with aspiring singers.

January 21 (Friday) EDUCATION DAY
The City Government of Vigan gives importance to the education sector with their own day where good pupils engage in a battle of wits and talent in a Quiz Bowl for students and student-teachers in a talent show of allied in the evening.

8:00 AM, VCTC Quiz Bee
7:00 PM, Plaza Burgos Teachers and Students Got Talent

January 22 (Saturday) CITY DAY AND SOCIAL SERVICES DAY
- The 10th FOUNDATION YEAR OF VIGAN’S CITYHOOD is celebrated today with the LONGGANISA FESTIVAL STREET DANCING taking center stage through a competition featuring “San Pablo, Kamang ti Ili” as the festival music showing the Biguenos devotion to St. Paul, our patron saint.

8:00 AM, Infront of Vigan City Hall Longganisa Cook Fest Showdown
3:00 PM, Parade Route Longganisa Street Dancing
8:00 PM, Plaza Burgos Longganisa Showdown
7:00 PM, Plaza Burgos Awarding of Outstanding Employees for 2010
7:00 PM, Plaza Burgos Coronation of Infantile King and Queen 2011

January 23 (Sunday) BALIKATAN AND AGRICULTURE DAY
- The agriculture and fishery sectors display their advancements gained thru the various progressive programs of the City Government.

7:30 AM, Parade Route Agri- Float Parade and Contest
8:00AM-5:00 PM, Plaza Burgos Vigan City Farm Festival
- Tinniliwan ti Burias
- Pig Rolleta
- Bingo Bonanza
- Other traditional fun games

7:00 PM, Plaza Burgos Coronation Night and Revival Dance Contest
9:00 AM-5:00 PM, VSTI Seminar on Container Gardening

January 24 (Monday) METRO VIGAN DANCE SPORTS CLUB BALLROOM NIGHT AND BALIK VIGAN NIGHT
- Our NGOs and Balik bayans give sparkle and life to this night with a ballroom dancing, raffle draws and homecoming.

7:00 PM, Plaza Burgos Raffle Draw

January 25 (Tuesday) Ms. Vigan, ABC Night and Cooperative Night
- The center of Vigan’s celebration. A homage to our patron Saint Paul the Apostle in the Feast of his Conversion.

7:00 AM Conversion of St. Paul Cathedral Eucharistic Celebration
8:00 AM Parade Route Grand City Parade
7:00 PM Plaza Burgos Coronation of Ms. Vigan


January 26 (Wednesday) SK DAY / NIGHT
- Our young talented leaders showcase their abilities thru friendly competitions highlighted by their pilot search for the Vigan Youth Ambassadress.

8:00 AM, Parade Route SK Float Parade
7:00 PM, Plaza Burgos Search for the Vigan Youth
Ambassadress 2011

January 27 (Thursday) GAY PRIDE DAY/ NIGHT
- We go skin to skin with the gay community who will not only entertain us but by give back to the community their free services of haircutting following their Gay Float Parade in the morning and a performance of Follies de Mwah in the evening.

8:00 AM, Parade Route Gay Pride Float Parade
9:00 – 12 noon, Plaza Burgos Alay Gupit 2011
7:00 PM, Plaza Burgos FOLLIES MWAH

January 28 (Friday) BABAE NG DIGMAAN (Zarsuela)
- This worldwide premier features talented Bigueños showcasing their abilities to act, sing and dance in a Zarzuela depicting the love story that saved Vigan. This is under the direction of Mr. Sonny Cristobal of CCP participated in by local artists, playwright, singers and actors.

8:00 PM, Plaza Burgos Babae ng Digmaan

January 29 (Saturday) DWRS NIGHT
- Following the success of their annual Search for Miss DWRS, this active partner of the city takes another night of celebration of beauty and brains with a cause.

7:00 PM, Plaza Burgos Search for Miss DWRS 2011
Coronation of Commando Brigada 2011

January 30 (Sunday) BISIKLETA PARA SA DEKADA
- Sponsored by Ilocandia Bikers Organization, this bike run is set to traverse through Vigan’s suburban barangays as their contribution to the celebration of 10 years of cityhood.

7:00 AM, Around Vigan Bisikleta para sa Dekada

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WATCH OUT FOR KANNAWIDAN YLOCOS FESTIVAL THIS FEBRUARY!
WITH SARAH GERONIMO AND DOZEN OF SURPRISE ARTISTS TO ENTERTAIN US FOR 5 CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS!

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Bantay Belltower

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE
Santa Maria Church, Sta Maria, Ilocos Sur

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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3141/2866873019_3a519328c6.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edmaration/2866873019/)
McDonald's - Calesa de Vigan (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edmaration/2866873019/) by EDMARATION (http://www.flickr.com/people/edmaration/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3191/2867721684_c3d418887b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edmaration/2867721684/)
Jollibee and Chowking, Vigan (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edmaration/2867721684/) by EDMARATION (http://www.flickr.com/people/edmaration/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4588948648_649ac413e1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edmaration/4588948648/)
VIGAN CITY [Max's Restaurant] (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edmaration/4588948648/) by EDMARATION (http://www.flickr.com/people/edmaration/), on Flickr
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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3268/2867705022_ba433697b2.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edmaration/2867705022/)
Chowking - Vigan Style (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edmaration/2867705022/) by EDMARATION (http://www.flickr.com/people/edmaration/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3259/2858489073_bbc205fd19.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edmaration/2858489073/)
Jollibee Vigan Style (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edmaration/2858489073/) by EDMARATION (http://www.flickr.com/people/edmaration/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3022/2858489077_64082244b3.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edmaration/2858489077/)
Jollibee or Chowking? (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edmaration/2858489077/) by EDMARATION (http://www.flickr.com/people/edmaration/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5128/5355687447_f1284eda23.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edmaration/5355687447/)
National Bookstore Branch, Vigan City (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edmaration/5355687447/) by EDMARATION (http://www.flickr.com/people/edmaration/), on Flickr

How far is Vigan from Manila? It looks very nice and a great destination.


http://bahalana-kunganoman.blogspot.com/

^^^^
8-hour drive, if no traffic to the cities you'll gonna pass...

its quite far, but its a leisurely drive.

we went there last year from manila with only a map and gps. its very easy and convenient to go to because there were enough signages and the highway was well-maintained. i remembered a long stretch of highway in ilocos sur which was smoothly paved though that area was deserted. we got to vigan by midnight and looked for a place to stay. it was holy week and we were told that hotels in the city were fully-booked. the helpful hotel staff helped us find available accommodation. we ended up staying somewhere 10minutes outside the city. the city is quite small but we enjoyed our stay there. calle crisologo really has a different charm during the day and at night.

since then, ive visited the city twice. the second time was supposed to be a laoag or pagudpod trip. we backed out the last minute coz, if im not mistaken, its still 4hours drive from vigan to laoag?

so anytime this summer, we will be visiting vigan again, but hopefully, on that occasion, just as a stopover to laoag or pagudpod. whew.

OT how far is laoag from pagudpod? thanks

^^ Vigan to laoag should only take you 2 hours... i'm not sure about pagudpud though...

and yeah, going to Vigan (and Laoag) is indeed straightforward, lol... NLEX, SCTEx, and the MacArthugh Highway...:D

haha. i also remember, may pinagtanungan kami sa agoo la union kung gano pa kalayo ang vigan. two hours din ang sabi sa amin. after more than two hours drive and we figured na malayo pa kami vigan, we stopped and ate dinner somewhere in ilocos sur. we asked the people there gano pa kalayo ang vigan at sabi sa amin, two hours pa. natawa at naiyak na lang kami, malayo pa pala. haha. sorry sa OT. share ko lang. :P
ndi kasi planado yung trip. yung map nga nabili lang sa nlex. pero we had fun.

haha malayo pa talaga ang agoo,..:D pero maganda naman talaga ang mga unplanned na trips.. adventure na adventure ang dating...:D

its quite far, but its a leisurely drive.

we went there last year from manila with only a map and gps. its very easy and convenient to go to because there were enough signages and the highway was well-maintained. i remembered a long stretch of highway in ilocos sur which was smoothly paved though that area was deserted. we got to vigan by midnight and looked for a place to stay. it was holy week and we were told that hotels in the city were fully-booked. the helpful hotel staff helped us find available accommodation. we ended up staying somewhere 10minutes outside the city. the city is quite small but we enjoyed our stay there. calle crisologo really has a different charm during the day and at night.

since then, ive visited the city twice. the second time was supposed to be a laoag or pagudpod trip. we backed out the last minute coz, if im not mistaken, its still 4hours drive from vigan to laoag?

so anytime this summer, we will be visiting vigan again, but hopefully, on that occasion, just as a stopover to laoag or pagudpod. whew.

OT how far is laoag from pagudpod? thanks

^^
Two hours

For those who feel the need or who would want to write the Vatican regarding (ugly and unnecessary) renovations and alterations of heritage Roman Catholic churches the contact information is:



H.E. Msgr. Gianfranco Ravasi
President of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church
Via della Conciliazione 5-7, Rome, Italy 00193
Fax no. +39 0669884621
E-mail pcbcc@pcchc.va



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http://pinoyshooter.org/bogs/

VIGAN HERITAGE HOUSES TURNED INTO CLASSY HOTELS

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MARAMING MARAMI PANG HOTELS SANA EH... MORE WILL BE POSTED SOON!!!! Sorry guys, I have to still take pictures of the other hotels. These photos aren't mine by the way... But the next hotel photos will be mine then. Enjoy Vigan, even only in pictures.. Marami pa talaga promise, all streets are lined with classy and elegant hotels... Kaso, I still have to capture them next time

Vigan, the World Heriatage City (http://www.facebook.com/pages/VIGAN-CITY/109146965782546?ref=ts&v=wall#!/photo.php?fbid=150621791635063&set=a.118982781465631.12737.109146965782546&pid=302811&id=109146965782546)

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STA. MARIA, ILOCOS SUR

THE HOME OF ANOTHER UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE IN THE PHILIPPINES
A BLEND OF HERITAGE, HISTORY AND NATURE

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“Ang pagbabago ng Calle Crisologo”
Post picked from a blogger (http://nakereru.tumblr.com/post/3063685256/putingtabing-atbp-margoism#disqus_thread)

—

Last we were in Vigan, there were clubs and bars. This time around, there was a newly installed Mang Inasal. According to VM Ryan Singson, they’re trying to attract more tourists by maintaining the colonial Spanish architecture, tweaking it a little to make it look more lively (and new) and then fusing it with Manila’s best — McDonald’s, Max’s, Red Ribbon and now, Mang Inasal.

I still feel the same. It would be a waste to lose Vigan’s heritage by giving it a “facelift” to generate more income from tourism. Maintaining the facade of these houses but giving them an almost complete make-over is tantamount to making Kobe Bryant look like Denzel Washington. You know it’s Kobe Bryant on the basketball court but from a far, you can’t help but notice he’s different somehow.

In short, I would just like Vigan to continue being Vigan, a World Heritage Site, with its Spanish Era atmosphere and not a localized SM hiding behind the walls of stone and lining up the cobble stone streets.

i can’t believe these singsons. this one, the vm, has a loose screw for believing in commercialism first rather than preserving a heritage site.

Good Lord, please stop it with the commercialization already! Why can’t they use the money to keep it as it is?! Don’t let mass consumerism and over-commercialization get to this heritage site. Should we set up another petition to restore Vigan as it is???

This is not what I envisioned as heritage and modernity coexisting.

/rant

Haven’t been there.. and this is not good..

____________________________________________
^^
Grabe ang ganda ng comment niya, and she got this fascination in the preservation of our heritage na kapag nasira, hindi na maibabalik pang muli..

"Umikot ako sa vigan! Ang ganda ng vigan. Woke up early para maka tour ng konti."
"Hay vigan. Babalik ako."

Tweets by John Pratts (http://twitter.com/iamjohnprats/statuses/32974387049136128)

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Night mode in Vigan

Blogged by Mapanuri (http://mapanuri.wordpress.com/2011/01/25/night-mode-in-vigan/)
_____________________________________

After watching Evelyn Salt got beaten up for several minutes in the bus, we found ourselves in Vigan, Ilocos Sur already. At around 7:20PM we arrived at the Library. It’s surprisingly cold – oh no, COLDER! :P But it’s good though. And hard to believe that there were only a few people walking around the streets and a couple of tricyle drivers waiting for passengers. Halos wala ng katao-tao.. From there we got our fully reliable brochures complete with lodging, places to visit, transportation contacts and city history. It’s free at the Library so all you have to do is a-s-k.

It took us 3-5 minutes to Casa Teofila. It’s just near the Library but not walking distance-near. 15 minutes is just enough to unpack some clothes and do some wash-ups then we headed to the famous Calle Crisologo. At last narating ko rin! :P

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The famous Kalye north of Manila

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Whenever I see pictures of Vigan, I don’t miss seeing this wooden seat.

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Ako.. ako.. ako..

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Lovebirds.. Giane and Gepay aka Ang Babaeng Lakwatsera

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Blogging Puyat aka Rodem

The winds added chills to the night as we walk around the popular Calle. Few people were walking and most of the stores are closing. Some close at 8PM and some at 8:30PM, still depends if there still are customers. I ran into one of the stores and checked out some souvenirs and shirts.

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Vigan Souvenirs, price starts at 30Php

I was a little surprised to know that most of their souvenirs are cheap compared to other places I’ve been. But even if they are cheap, I didn’t get any hehe kuripot mode.. :P Though I plan to buy a shirt for 130php but the medium size won’t fit me, no other bigger size of that design – sorry me. :P

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Street Dining

A coffee shop? but the street dining is way more interesting. That’s what we’re about to find out.

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On our way to the street dining..

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Abandoned or haunted?.. or both? :P Panira ang kawad ng kuryente!


Right beside this abandoned (or haunted) house is the Los Majitos street dining. Well, it’s not the way I imagined it to be. It has a cozy ambiance with a very relaxing environment. Pero not the idea of street dining na tipong mga pagkaing you used to see sa street ang kakainin. The buffet table is just placed outside together with the chairs and tables – that for them is Street Dining. :P In search of finding good yet budget meals, we found ourselves here:

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Talaki's Corner

Oh ha, sinong mag-aakalang may carinderia sa hilera ng mga restaurant? :P Sa presyong wala pang 50 pesos, busog na ang tiyan mo. :) Instant college student budget all over again. :P hehe

We just enjoyed the windy night while walking along Burgos Park and I found a group of kids at the playground. Say CHEESE..

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Shy Type

He’s the only one who did not run away from my camera.. :P Right across Burgos Park is the chain of fast food chains. Though Chowking, Jollibee and Mcdonald’s are familiar to everyone, in Vigan they have distinct and interesting looks.

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I think it’s quite safe to stroll at night when most of the people are slumbering. Time check: It’s just 10 in the evening. There’s one police van near St. Paul’s Cathedral so I think that would serve as our help line when we got ourselves in trouble. Nevertheless, I didn’t feel anything bad that time.

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Why so? In front of the park is a miniature of world renowned landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower of Paris, the Pyramids of Egypt, Sydney Opera House, Roman pillars, Mosques and the Great Wall of China. The whole park is huge, more romantic with the lights on and noticeably clean. The government must have worked hard in sustaining the cleanliness of the city.

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Mapanuri (http://mapanuri.wordpress.com/2011/01/25/night-mode-in-vigan/) in Vigan

2 Cities in 1 day? Quite an achievement huh? I know I should’ve given each city at least a day or two to explore more. We only have 3 days total so there’s nothing we can do but to squeeze in all these places in 3 days. Besides, I still have one morning here and we have to keep up with the itinerary. But if not, it’s still okay. I’m really after the adventure after all. :)

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Naimbag a rabii, Vigan

It’s been a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooong day.. :P Figuratively..

Prelude to next post:

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Aren’t those sheep and ostrich supposed to be in their cages?

Find out why next

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Courtesy: Noel Ombrog (http://travelbuglogs.wordpress.com/2011/02/04/vigan-revisited-2010-cultural-heritage-center/)

A Certified True Copy of the Royal Decree signed by King Fernando VI of Spain, elevating the status of Vigam, seat of the Diocese of Nueva Segovia; as a city in 1758. This document was extracted from the General Archives of Simancas in Spain.
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Vigan is the third oldest city in the Philippines after Cebu and Manila. It's cityhood was ratified on January 21, 2001.

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Past Captured in Present- Vigan
by: Angarish Otta of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

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A curb-side parking lot near Crisologo street, Vigan. A place where swanky Gen-Z cars meet humble Calesas (horse carriages) from the spanish past.

VIGAN PHOTOS
from Nomadic Experience (http://www.nomadicexperiences.com/2010/11/vigan-ilocos-sur.html)

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The Museum City
Vigan has a lot titles, and one of these titles is 'The Museum City, and I think, Vigan is so deserving.

Vigan is the home of the National Museum branch of the Philippines, aside from that, Vigan also houses 5 other precious museums about religion, culture and the arts.

By the way, Ilocos Sur is the only province in the Philippines with two branches of National Museum, the other one is located at Magsingal Ilocos Sur.

And to note, the province of Ilocos Sur is the only province in the Philippines with two man-made UNESCO World Heritage Sites, being the architectural haven and cultural heritage center in the Philippines.

And it is safe to say, it is also the historical religious center in the Northern Philippines for being the seat of the Nueva Segovia, the religious seat that has control most of Northern Luzon after the seat has transferred from Lallo, Cagayan to Vigan which dates back in the Spanish era. Vigan is also the only city in the Philippines with a colonial Archbishop Palace called the Palacio de Arzobispado de Nueva Segovia with a throne room. Since the Philippines is the only major Christian nation in the Philippines, Vigan City houses the oldest surviving Archbishop palace in Southeast Asia.

Vigan is also the home of Museo San Pablo, the first and only museum in the region committed to conservation through a distinct faith-culture approach.

Buridek Museum in Mira Hills, Vigan City is the first Kid's Museum in Northern Luzon!

I'm sharing these facts to share the importance of Vigan in shaping the cultural, religious, artistic heritage and historical value of our country Philippines, as Filipinos, lets, trace our root, why not visit Vigan? It is gaining recognition worldwide, truly a Philippine pride!

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The Padre Burgos Museum, National Museum Branch
The birthplace of our hero, Padre Burgos.

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Crisologo Museum

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Museo San Pablo, it is the first and only museum in the region committed to conservation through a distinct faith-culture approach.

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Syquia Mansion and Museum, the then Malacanang of the North during the rule of Pres. Elpidio Quirino, a son of Vigan.

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The Museo de Nueva Segovia, the only museum in the Philippines with a Throne Room!

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Buridek Museum: First kids museum in Northern Luzon (http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/manila-bulletin/mi_7968/is_2008_Sept_19/kids-museum-northern-luzon-opens/ai_n35384172/)

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Magsingal Museum
The Magsingal National Museum Branch or the Museum of Ilocano Culture and Artifacts is a Philippine museum that displays an ethnographic collection on the material culture and liturgical artifacts of the entire Ilocos Region (http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Magsingal_National_Museum_Branch). One of the branches of the National Museum of the Philippines, it is housed in the rectory of an old Spanish brick church in Magsingal, Ilocos Sur, a municipality near the provincial capital of Vigan. The museum is open from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays and Sundays by appointment. There is no entrance fee.

Vigan City then and Now

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Courtesy (http://ciudadfernandina.blogspot.com/2008/08/vigan-pre-spanish-times.html)

Before^^^^
Look at the people. they are wearing Maria Clara in white..


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Photo by: Ronnie Muring (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/30747580)


Note: This is the closest photo I can see at the internet.

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share ko din photo ko ng ilocos sur capitol, taken last month lang. More pictures taken during our kalesa tour at The Walking Tripod (http://thewalkingtripod.blogspot.com/2011/03/vigan-stroll-and-kalesa-tour-at.html)

haha. i also remember, may pinagtanungan kami sa agoo la union kung gano pa kalayo ang vigan. two hours din ang sabi sa amin. after more than two hours drive and we figured na malayo pa kami vigan, we stopped and ate dinner somewhere in ilocos sur. we asked the people there gano pa kalayo ang vigan at sabi sa amin, two hours pa. natawa at naiyak na lang kami, malayo pa pala. haha. sorry sa OT. share ko lang. :P
ndi kasi planado yung trip. yung map nga nabili lang sa nlex. pero we had fun.

Agoo to Vigan sasabihin nila 2 hrs lang? asus! siguro kumapit sila noon sa mga hawakan sa pinagsakyan nila dahil masyadong mabilis ang byahe pag ganoon. 4 hrs pag daytime at 3hrs pag nighttime. super heavy traffic pa sa san fernando

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they should reconstruct all of Vigan with the bahay na bato. Every street should look like Calle Crisologo

Nice city, i like its hispanic heritage.

PIA Press Release
Saturday, September 03, 2011
by Fredie G .Lazaro

VIGAN CITY, Sept. 3 (PIA) -- The world heritage city of Vigan joins this year’s weeklong celebration of the United Nations Educational and Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO’s) Word Heritage Cities Solidarity Day and Cultural Festival on September 3 - 10 2011 here, according to Mayor Eva Marie S. Medina.

On Sept.3 will be the food and trade fair at Plaza Burgos, opening of the fotografias y recuerdos at Vigan Culture and Trade Center (VCTC), and the conduct of repazzo de Vigan and solidarity parade around the city’s streets.

On September 4 activities include folk dance and dance sports contests; September 5 – Sabayang Pagbigkas, daniw, dallot and Zarsuela presentations; September 6 – hisotoria oral; September 7 – vocal solo, vocal duet, kinnantaran and vocal chorus; September 8 – Eucharistic celebration, solidarity breakfast, solidarity medical and dental mission, and awarding and cultural show; September 10 – stage play of “Babae ng Digmaan” at Meralco Theater in Pasay City; September 5 – 10 – wayang puppet exhibit; and September 5 -7 – heritage youth assembly.

Most of the cultural presentations and contests during the festival will be held at the historic Plaza Burgos and at the VCTC except for the historia oral which will be held at Donato’s Ancestral House while the stage play of “Babae ng Digmaan” will be held at Meralco Theater in Pasay City.

The lady mayor said these activities were done to continuously attract local and foreign tourists to visit the city with its well–preserved Spanish ancestral houses in the city’s heritage village.

In September 8, 1993 the Organization of World Heritage Cities was formed by the UNESCO in Fez, Morocco.

The group is an umbrella organization of all heritage towns and cities. Vigan is a member of the organization being one of the Philippines’ UNESCO world heritage sites.

“The week-long festivities aim to continuously strengthen Vigan’s history and culture “in keeping with the long-term goal of preserving our centuries 'old heritage structures,'” she said.

It is noted that Vigan’s well-preserved Spanish trading town environ has survived the test of time, including bombings during World War II which leveled the major Philippine cities of Baguio, Cebu, and Manila. (ANL/FGL-PIA 1 Ilocos Sur)

source link: http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=r01&id=52250

ni Ben P. Pacris

VIGAN CITY, Oct. 13 (PIA) -- Dahil sa di na mapigil ng epekto ng ‘climate change’ na kasalukuyang problema sa buong mundo, ang Vigan Heritage Village na pangunahing tourist attraction sa Ilocos Sur at napabilang sa World Heritage List ng UNESCO ay nangangambang sisirain ng storm surge o malakas na lindol

Ito ang babala ni provincial board member Jeremias “Jerry” Singson sa session ng Sangguniang Panlalawigan sa Kapitolio noong Martes nang inilahad niya sa pamamagitan ng power point presentation ang “Joint Community Services for the Future of Ilocos Sur.”

Ayon kay bokal Singson, ang Vigan na nasa pagitan ng coastal towns ng Sta. Catalina, Caoayan at Santa ang unang matatamaan ng storm surge kung hahagupit ang malakas na bagyo sa lalawigan.

Iniulat ng chairman ng Committee on Health na ang pagpapahalaga sa kalikasan ang dapat prioridad ng bawat bayan at siyudad sa probinsiya dahil nakaka-alarma ang bangis ng climate change at global warming na dinadanas na ng sanlibutan. “Hindi na lang programa tungkol sa kalusugan ang inaatupag ng Joint Community Services (JCS) Medical Mission kundi pati na rin ang climate change,” sabi ni Singson.

Batay sa assessment ng Mines and Geo-sciences Bureau ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) sa lalawigan, idiniin ng dating Vice-Governor na delikado ang Santa, na nasa fault line, Vigan, Sta. Catalina at Caoayan sa epekto ng storm surge lalo na kung mangyari ang malakas na lindol na magdudulot ng tsunami . “Bale 18 towns, kabilang ang siyudad ng Vigan at Candon ay apektado ng storm surge,” aniya.

Hinikayat ni bokal Jerry na makiisa ang lahat ng sector ng komunidad, kabilang na ang mga Sangguniang Kabataan at NGO’s para magtanim ng mangrove sa mga coastal areas na pangdepensa sa storm surge sa mga coastal areas.

Sa pamamagitan ng JCS, sinabi niya na dapat ding maipatupad ang mga reforestation program sa mga upland towns sa ikalawang distrito na pinangyarihan ng mga landslides sa mga nakaraang bagyo tulad ni ‘Pedring’.

Ayon naman kay bokal Robert Tudayan, chairman ng Committee on Environment, makikipagtulungan ang Tanim Kalikasan sa JCS para sa pangangalaga ng kalikasan sa pakikipag-ugnayan ng DENR at mga Local Government Units. (JCR/BPP-PIA 1 Ilocos Sur)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=r01&id=59071

I finally got the chance to visit Vigan earlier this month. These are my shots...

Calle Crisologo
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regular streets
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Church of Bassit
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These ones were taken during the "La Naval"
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This centuries old santo is going back to it's owner's residence
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^^ Beautiful shots. I miss Vigan. Thanks for sharing!

I hope owners of old houses won't paint their houses with Orange color. I saw few old houses last summer being painted with orange. so ugly.

salamat at walang anuman, dude:)

maybe in a very light orange they would look better. i think i read before that these houses used to be painted in pastel colors much like those you see in colonial towns all over the world and even in italy's famous cinque terra towns. it was imierda marcos who whitewashed these houses, i think:D

^^Yep, Latin American colonial towns are also very colorful. Guanajuato, Antigua, Cuzco, etc.

IMO, i think the dirty white, old color of the old houses must be retained

Pastel or "antiquated" tones (light ochre, pastel pink, etc.) will bring a breath of fresh air in Vigan's Spanish quarters. I heard these houses were once colorful before Imelda whitewashed them. IMO, we should not be confined to her own red-brown-white interpretation of the look of Philippine heritage architecture. There is more color to our built heritage than just that.

But then again, it's up to the people of Vigan to decide.

I finally got the chance to visit Vigan earlier this month.

Dude nice pics, how much did it cost you? saka san ka nagstay na hotel?

by Ben P. Pacris
VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur, Nov. 17 (PIA) -- The Vigan Heritage Village, which is included in the UNESCO's World Heritage List and the main tourist attraction of Ilocos Sur, is threatened by storm surges and earthquakes due to the impact of climate change.
The alarm was issued by provincial board member Jeremias “Jerry” Singson during the weekly provincial board session at the Capitol here presided by vice-governor Deogracias Victor “ DV” Savellano as he presented the JCS Foundation for the Future of Ilocos Sur project.
“Vigan which is surrounded by the coastal towns of Santa, Caoyan and Sta. Catalina, is in danger in case of deadly storm surge and big quakes,” Singson stressed. “Strong earthquakes will trigger tsunami in these typhoon-prone areas,” he added.
The member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan said that the wrath of the recent Typhoon Pedring that hit the province created storm surges in Fuerte , Caoayan; Mindoro, Vigan; and Tabucolan and Bucalag in Santa.

http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=r01&id=64476

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http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/6518/photo00041e.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/832/photo00041e.jpg/)

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/7938/photo00101k.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/716/photo00101k.jpg/)


I don't know where to put these so i'll just post them here. You are lucky to have such structures still intact to your place especially the old houses in calle crisologo. We now only have a few in naga (nueva caceres) limited to institutions, churches and a few ancestral houses.

will post pictures of vigan soon.

Dude nice pics, how much did it cost you? saka san ka nagstay na hotel?

i can't remember anymore, it's been awhile. i was backpacking, so i didn't stay in a hotel. it was more of a b-n-b thing. grandpa something was the name.

I thought this thread has been deleted! WAahhh!

By the way folks, what can you say about this colored ancestral houses?

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bz_2wNlENUs/Tk5Z8vaafDI/AAAAAAAAAnA/pcBlK2Rz6jQ/s640/PICT7002a.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XIhK6WOXfCU/Tk5hP9LPO-I/AAAAAAAAAnI/uifoCbik0mw/s640/PICT7000a.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J6r1l5PKK_c/Tk5kg-4rMSI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/lxpW1Udza2s/s640/PICT7009a.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jD9jcbxPyKc/Tk5mQAql5BI/AAAAAAAAAnY/iklHnTuNcb4/s640/PICT7010a.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SW8lyoDm6gc/Tk5pD4u5lwI/AAAAAAAAAnc/FXidg1nu770/s640/PICT7013a.jpg

View the whole article here (http://edmarationetc.blogspot.com/2011/08/real-color-behind-vigans-painted.html)

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/6421/photo00222t.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/69/photo00222t.jpg/)

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/6518/photo00041e.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/832/photo00041e.jpg/)

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/7938/photo00101k.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/716/photo00101k.jpg/)


I don't know where to put these so i'll just post them here. You are lucky to have such structures still intact to your place especially the old houses in calle crisologo. We now only have a few in naga (nueva caceres) limited to institutions, churches and a few ancestral houses.

will post pictures of vigan soon.

Yup,, these structures are truly priceless and it's value is universal.

i can't remember anymore, it's been awhile. i was backpacking, so i didn't stay in a hotel. it was more of a b-n-b thing. grandpa something was the name.

Hello Jeff, what is B-n-B haha...

Well, you might be referring to Grandpa's Inn.

I thought this thread has been deleted! WAahhh!

By the way folks, what can you say about this colored ancestral houses?

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bz_2wNlENUs/Tk5Z8vaafDI/AAAAAAAAAnA/pcBlK2Rz6jQ/s640/PICT7002a.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XIhK6WOXfCU/Tk5hP9LPO-I/AAAAAAAAAnI/uifoCbik0mw/s640/PICT7000a.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J6r1l5PKK_c/Tk5kg-4rMSI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/lxpW1Udza2s/s640/PICT7009a.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jD9jcbxPyKc/Tk5mQAql5BI/AAAAAAAAAnY/iklHnTuNcb4/s640/PICT7010a.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SW8lyoDm6gc/Tk5pD4u5lwI/AAAAAAAAAnc/FXidg1nu770/s640/PICT7013a.jpg

View the whole article here (http://edmarationetc.blogspot.com/2011/08/real-color-behind-vigans-painted.html)

exposing the bricks may be very pleasing to the eyes but it could actually be damaging to the buildings especially when your aim is to preserve the structure, so it's just right to replaster them. Conserving buildings however is actually quite complex as there are many ways to do it. What's important is you have to make sure that what you do today won't be detrimental to future conservation projects to the building.

As to the colors, i think its fine to repaint these old structures. But there are better techniques (if i'm not mistaken) to trace back their original color. One way is by subjecting samples of the old coatings of the building to chemical analysis. :)

Hello Jeff, what is B-n-B haha...

Well, you might be referring to Grandpa's Inn.

b-n-b as in bed and breakfast type of thing? yup, grandpa's inn i think was the name:cheers:

:2cents:
the colors seem too glaring because we're not used to it yet. in time we'll learn to appreciate these colorful houses as they originally were. perhaps they can limit the number of colors to 2 in a particlar house-white and another color like in house 3, so there's still some sort of semblance of harmony at least in a given house. OR perhaps the locals should just form a "committee on good taste", like i heard those in italy's cinque terra towns have, whose power is to set a standard of approved colors/color scheme (based on educated research of course) among other things.

house 1: they should get rid of that modern gate
house 2: put a bigger keystone, replace the light fixture
house 3: replace light fixture
house 4: get rid of floors above the 2nd, toss the aircon out the windows since it's halfway there anyway :D
house 5: needs details around the door(?)

b-n-b as in bed and breakfast type of thing? yup, grandpa's inn i think was the name:cheers:

:2cents:
the colors seem too glaring because we're not used to it yet. in time we'll learn to appreciate these colorful houses as they originally were. perhaps they can limit the number of colors to 2 in a particlar house-white and another color like in house 3, so there's still some sort of semblance of harmony at least in a given house. OR perhaps the locals should just form a "committee on good taste", like i heard those in italy's cinque terra towns have, whose power is to set a standard of approved colors/color scheme (based on educated research of course) among other things.

house 1: they should get rid of that modern gate
house 2: put a bigger keystone, replace the light fixture
house 3: replace light fixture
house 4: get rid of floors above the 2nd, toss the aircon out the windows since it's halfway there anyway :D
house 5: needs details around the door(?)

I sooo love your suggestions, my take for house #5 is to get rid of the dangling wires, urghh.. hope there will be a solution. :colgate:

exposing the bricks may be very pleasing to the eyes but it could actually be damaging to the buildings especially when your aim is to preserve the structure, so it's just right to replaster them. Conserving buildings however is actually quite complex as there are many ways to do it. What's important is you have to make sure that what you do today won't be detrimental to future conservation projects to the building.

As to the colors, i think its fine to repaint these old structures. But there are better techniques (if i'm not mistaken) to trace back their original color. One way is by subjecting samples of the old coatings of the building to chemical analysis. :)

Actually, I am not against this type of conservation, the "repainting" thing - and like what they did at Daraga, Albay, they coated the church with white that looked to be disgusting for old-charm seekers but I support the move because it is a way to really preserve the old structure. In Vigan, many houses has undergone the same method.

See the new Daraga Church as a part of its conservation. Now it is white.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QZQ7uYbpHrM/TrgiXUA4bII/AAAAAAAABXw/g3tMgNRywFE/s640/DSC06566+copy.jpg

I finally got the chance to visit Vigan earlier this month. These are my shots...

Calle Crisologo
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd406/wanderpawel/DSCN5936.jpg
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd406/wanderpawel/DSCN5989.jpg
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd406/wanderpawel/DSCN5953.jpg

regular streets
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd406/wanderpawel/DSCN5993.jpg
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd406/wanderpawel/DSCN5998.jpg

Church of Bassit
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd406/wanderpawel/DSCN6051.jpg


These ones were taken during the "La Naval"
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd406/wanderpawel/DSCN6142.jpg
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd406/wanderpawel/DSCN6155.jpg
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd406/wanderpawel/DSCN6169.jpg

This centuries old santo is going back to it's owner's residence
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd406/wanderpawel/DSCN6177.jpg

AMAZING VIGAN Indeed with these Amazing photos!

BTW, PLS DO VOTE For VIGAN in the New7Wonder Cities, Click here. (http://ilocossuronline.blogspot.com/2012/01/lets-vote-and-support-vigan-for-new.html)