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St. William's Cathedral in LaoagFamous Church in Laoag, Ilocos Norte Philippines St. William's Cathedral is older than Paoay Church and even older than the Missions of California. Located in Laoag City, the church is famous for its Italian Renaissance design as well as its Sinking Bell Tower, which 85 meters away from the church.
The top of the facade holds a recessed niche that showcases the image of the city's patron saint, San Guillermo (St. William). It has windows made from capiz with wrought iron screens. St. William's Cathedral was built by the Augustinian friars to support the growing Christian population in Ylaua. Ylaua (which literally means "light" or "brightness") was the first name of Laoag City, which served as a mission detachment of Vigan during the Spanish era. The church was originally built using lime, molasses, big stones, gravel and sand. Molasses was mixed with lime for added strength. Wood was used for trusses to support the roof, which originally was made of cogon grass and was later replaced with nipa. Much later the roofing was again changed to taleb, a corrugated galvanized iron sheet made of whole bamboos. It was in 1612 that the foundations of the present church of Italian Renaissance were made replacing the former wooden chapel. The church was damaged by hurricane in 1640, by earthquake in 1706, by fire in 1843. The church was restored in 1880.
Sinking Bell Tower St. William's Cathedral's bell tower is massive and solid, and at 45 meters high it is known as the tallest bell tower in the Philippines. It is called the "Sinking Bell Tower" as it sinks about an inch each year, because of its weight and and its foundation (it was built on sand). In fact, it has sunk so deep and its entrance is half-buried that you now would have to stoop to enter when previously a man on horseback could ride through its entrance with absolute ease. The bell tower is situated 85 meters away from the church - a rare position among the Spanish church structures.
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