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Vigan

Historic town of Vigan is a colonial town in Ilcos Sur province. The town is listed on the Unesco World Heritage Site list because of its beautiful colonial architecture.
When Spaniards came to the Philippine islands they brought their culture with them. Vigan was planned and built in the...

Historic town of Vigan is a colonial town in Ilcos Sur province. The town is listed on the Unesco World Heritage Site list because of its beautiful colonial architecture.
When Spaniards came to the Philippine islands they brought their culture with them. Vigan was planned and built in the 16th century.  The architecture of this town can´t be seen anywhere else in Asia. The blend of Asian and European culture in Vigan is just great. Before the arrival of the colonizers, the territory of Vigan was occupied by Chinese traders. This way, colonizers adopted the name Bee Gan which later became Vigan. Most of the residents adopted Spanish names.
In fact, Vigan used to be an island because the flow of three rivers separated it from the land (Luzon Island).  These three river are called Abra River, Mestizo River and the Govantes River.
The town is excellent for peacefull sightseeing. Some of the most visited districts is the Mestizo district where people get immersed in the colonial past, but not only, since the traces of Chinese past are visible as well.
Between the single monuments one can single out St. Paul´s Metropolitan Cathedral, Ayala Museum, the Crisologo Museum, the Syquia Musum etc.
There is also a beautiful Calle Crisologo with cobblestone streets, and colonial buildings.
Of course, there are city squares which tend to be most vivid parts of the city. There is Plaza Salcedo caled affter Juan de Salcedo and Plaza Burgos which is mainly used for public events.

Museum of the Filipino People

Museum of the Filipino People belongs to the National Museum of the Philippines. The building itself is very beautiful and it was designed by Ralf Harrington Doane who also designed the public library. Even though the construction began in 1918 it was completed eight years later because the const...

Museum of the Filipino People belongs to the National Museum of the Philippines. The building itself is very beautiful and it was designed by Ralf Harrington Doane who also designed the public library. Even though the construction began in 1918 it was completed eight years later because the construction was stopped several times. Its second, third and fourth floor served for government purposes while during the Second World War it was severely damaged. A year after the end of war the building was renovated  and in 2003 the building was reconstructed again and now it hosts the National Museum.

The Museum of the Filipino People has several exhibits. The San Diego Exhibit is located on the ground floor; Five Centuries of Maritime Trade Before the Arrival of the West exhibit shows items belonging to the pre-colonial period. These items describe the history of the trade tradition evolved in the area; The Origin exhibition describes the periods of the pre-history on the Philippines territory; Archaeological Treasures gallery presents different vessels used for various purposes. It also describes the burial practices evolved on the territory; The Filipinos and Their Cultural Heritage is an ethnographic exhibit which is of course concentrated on the history of the nation, cultures and the development in many areas of life through history and its different periods.