Baclayon Church

One of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines, built 1595

Baclayon Church — properly the Parish of the Immaculate Conception — is one of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines, its construction begun by Spanish missionaries in 1595. The thick coral stone walls have stood for over four centuries, giving the church a weight and solidity that most Philippine church buildings lack. The attached museum holds a collection of religious artefacts, vestments, and historical objects that document the Spanish colonial period on Bohol.

The church sits in the centre of Baclayon, a town south of Tagbilaran on the road to Carmen and the Chocolate Hills — it makes a natural first stop on the standard Bohol tour. The 2013 earthquake that struck Bohol caused considerable damage to the bell tower and parts of the facade; restoration work has been underway since, and while some scaffolding may be visible, the interior and museum are generally accessible.

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Baclayon Church was built by Augustinian Recollect missionaries beginning in 1595, using coral stone blocks cut from reefs and cemented with a mortar made from crushed coral mixed with egg whites. The construction took decades, and thousands of eggs were contributed by local people as a form of tribute. The resulting structure has survived four centuries of typhoons, earthquakes, and wars, though it was significantly damaged by the 2013 Bohol earthquake and has been under ongoing restoration.

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