| San Pablo Church | |
| Coordinates: | 17.4483°N 121.7936°W |
| Pushpin Map: | Luzon mainland#Philippines |
| Map Caption: | Location in Luzon##Location in the Philippines |
| Country: | Philippines |
| Location: | San Pablo, Isabela |
| Denomination: | Roman Catholic |
| Status: | Ruins |
| Functional Status: | Inactive |
| Heritage Designation: | National Cultural Treasure |
| Architectural Type: | Church building |
| Style: | Baroque |
The San Pablo Church Ruins are ruins of a Roman Catholic church located in San Pablo, Isabela, Philippines. The church was built in 1624, making it the oldest in Isabela.[1]
The church was damaged during the World War II.[2] In 1949, it was destroyed by the 7-magnitude earthquake that hit the Cagayan Valley, and its roof was burned down in the 1950s.[3] Unable to renovate, a smaller church, one-third the size of San Pablo Church, was built inside the walls.[4]
Fronting the church is a patio overgrown with grass.[5] Still standing is the church's facade, with visible bas-relief and religious icons on each side. The church's arched main entrance, vigil room, support for the choir loft, and buttresses, which continue to support the structure, are still visible.[6]
Diggings of sacred grounds, through the ancient walls and a tunnel toward the church's altar, were reportedly conducted by people looking for the Yamashita's treasure.
The National Museum of the Philippines declared the church as a national cultural treasure.[7]
The Baroque-styled church was constructed using bricks mixed with riverstones, adobe and coral stones.[8] Its belfry of six layers, including the circular apex made of adobe, was the tallest in the Cagayan Valley.[9]