Viva, Vigan!

Vigan, the capital of Ilocos Sur in the Philippines was voted as one of the New7Wonders Cities of the world. This was announced on December 8 by Bernard Weber, founder and president of New7Wonders Cities. The other cities included in the list are Beirut (Lebanon), Doha (Qatar), Durban (South Africa), Havana (Cuba), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), and La Paz (Bolivia). 

I can see why Vigan charmed voters from around the world. Vigan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where structures from the Spanish colonial period still exist. Last July, I visited Vigan together with my mother, sisters, and nieces. After a seven-hour night trip  by bus from Cubao, we arrived in Vigan at dawn. After alighting from the bus at Plaza Salcedo, we immediately walked to Calle Crisologo, the center of the said historical district. It is here where many of the 18th century colonial houses can be seen.

The cobblestone streets and Spanish houses of Vigan

Souvenir shops and antique stores along Calle Crisologo

Tour the city aboard a horse-drawn carriage called calesa

We hired a calesa for a tour of the city for P150/hour and saw various historical places.

Monument for Father Jose Burgos, one of Gomburza, the three
martyred priests during the Spanish period

St. Paul's Cathedral, the Baroque-inspired Catholic church
completed in 1800

Bantay Belltower
Nearby is said to be the grounds where Ilocano hero
Diego Silang fought the Spaniards

Antiques from the Burgos Museum

Vigan is also popular for its abel weaving and clay jar industry. We have been using blankets made of abel cloth and they are really sturdy. We saw a demonstration of how the cloth are woven and were also given a chance to try it at Cristy's Loom Weaving Shop. 

Trying my hand at abel weaving

Abel cloth

Potters forming clay jar

Vigan is a city where structures from our Spanish colonial past have been preserved. It is also a city that showcases the craftsmanship of our people with crafts such as weaving and jar making. It is a city that cradled martyrs and heroes. And now it is one of the New7Wonders Cities of the world. Viva, Vigan!