The Historic town of Vigan was made in the 16th Century. Vigan is the best example of a Spanish colonial town in Asia. The architecture of Vigan reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia. Vigan is in the north eastern part of Luzon. Its architectur is very respectives in its roots, in both material and design. Vigan was inscripted as a World Heritage Site in the year 1999 but was rejected ten years before.
Before the arrival of the Spanish, there was an indigenous settlement on what used to be an island which was made of wood and bamboo houses on stilts. In the year 1572, a Conquistador named Juan de Salcedo founded this town, which he called 'Villa Ferdinandina'. It was intended as a trading centre rather than a fortress, although it was the northernmost city that was established in the Philippines by the Spanish.
During the end of the 17th century, there was a new form of architecture, which combined the traditional construction with new techniques of building in stone and wood which was introduced by the Spanish. The Augustinian Friars introduced brick for their churches and some other buildings. As the major commercial centre for their region, Vigan traded directly with China. They supplied goods that were shipped across the Pacific Ocean to Mexico, then onward across the Atlantic Ocean into Europe. This resulted in constant trading of peoples and cultures between the Ilocanos, Filipinos, Chinese, Spanish and (in the 20th century) the North Americans.
Before the arrival of the Spanish, there was an indigenous settlement on what used to be an island which was made of wood and bamboo houses on stilts. In the year 1572, a Conquistador named Juan de Salcedo founded this town, which he called 'Villa Ferdinandina'. It was intended as a trading centre rather than a fortress, although it was the northernmost city that was established in the Philippines by the Spanish.
During the end of the 17th century, there was a new form of architecture, which combined the traditional construction with new techniques of building in stone and wood which was introduced by the Spanish. The Augustinian Friars introduced brick for their churches and some other buildings. As the major commercial centre for their region, Vigan traded directly with China. They supplied goods that were shipped across the Pacific Ocean to Mexico, then onward across the Atlantic Ocean into Europe. This resulted in constant trading of peoples and cultures between the Ilocanos, Filipinos, Chinese, Spanish and (in the 20th century) the North Americans.