Once a glorious church peacefully overlooking the beautiful Mayon Volcano was a Franciscan church built in 1724, now widely known as Cagsawa Ruins.

It is always referred to as “The sunken church in Bicol” or “that bell tower in Bicol”, at least that’s what we called it from where I came from. And all of this was caused by the massive destruction brought about by the eruption of Mayon Volcano back on February 1, 1814, striking hardest in Cagsawa area.

An eruption so powerful it sunk up to a solid 9-meter height of ash which covered houses, establishments, institutions and Cagsawa Church being one of them, proved to be a living legend of all the tragedy. Read More: http://thequainttraveler.blogspot.com/2014/11/Cagsawa-Ruins-Albay-Bicol.html

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Photo from: https://nicerioadventures.blogspot.com/2014/07/visita-iglesia-cagsawa-ruins.html

The Cagsawa Ruins are the remains of a 17th-century church built by the Franciscans. The first church was erected in 1587 but was destroyed by Dutch marauders in 1646. The church was reconstructed in 1724 by Fr. Francisco Blanco. On February 1, 1814, Mt. Mayon began its most violent and deadly eruption in recorded history. Unfortunately, the church, along with most of the town of Cagsawa, was destroyed by lahars and pyroclastic flows, killing thousands of inhabitants.

For more than two centuries, the church ruins have withstood the test of time and the elements to become one of the most recognizable landmarks of Albay Province. Today, the site of the Cagsawa ruins is now a park managed by the municipal government of Daraga and is now the most visited tourist spot in Albay. In 2015, the site was declared a national cultural treasure, the Philippines’ highest designation for a cultural property. Read More: http://wowlegazpi.com/cagsawa-ruins/

CAGSAWA RUINS

Photo from: https://jontotheworld.com/cagsawa-ruins-albay-bicol/

Situated in Albay, Cagsawa Ruins is a historical landmark that serves as the centerpiece of the Cagsawa Ruins Park where tourists can enjoy the scenic view of Mayon Volcano. The ruins also stood as an image of Bicol region’s magnificent landscape for almost two centuries. It symbolizes Bicol’s rich history together with the strength and flexibility of the people towards calamities and ravages of Mother Nature.

Cagsawa was derived from the word “Kag” which means owner and “sawa” for python. It could also mean too much or excesses. The Cagsawa church was built after 1724 by the Franciscan friars and was administered by Fray Francisco Blanco in the small town of Cagsawa. Read More: https://www.vigattintourism.com/tourism/articles/The-Historical-Cagsawa-Ruins-of-Daraga-Albay