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Vigan - A UNESCO CITY
Vigan - A UNESCO CITY
Established in the 16th century, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia.
Located on the western coast of the large island of Luzon, facing the South China Sea
A 4th class component city and capital of the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines.
The area of Vigan was originally a settlement of traders coming from the Fujian Province, China.
At the time of Spanish colonisation, the Chinese settlers, whose language was Southern Min (Min Nan, often referred to as "Hokkien" by most Filipinos), referred to the area as Bee Gan (Chinese: 美岸; pinyin: měi'àn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bí-gān), which means "Beautiful Shore."
Since the Spanish conquistadors interchanged V and the B to refer to the /b/ sound, they spelled the Hokkien Chinese name "Bee Gan" as Vigan, which is the name used to this day.
Interesting Sites
Interesting Sites
Plaza Salcedo and Vigan Cathedral
Saint Paul's Metropolitan Cathedral
Calle Crisologo at night
Plaza José Burgos
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