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| @ mirandablue |
It was a challenge taking photos of the sinking bell tower of St. William's Cathedral. The bell tower is located on a busy street in downtown Laoag, the traffic of people and vehicles was constant. From a calesa to jeepneys, trike to tricycles and motorcycles. Unsightly cables also wrecked the view of the bell tower.:p
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| @ mirandablue |
One of the biggest and tallest bell towers in the Philippines, its baroque design is similar to other bell towers in Ilocandia. The Augustinians built this bell tower on sand in 1612---missing Christ's example of building a church on rock (Matthew 16:18)---and the sinking episodes had started ever since. The bell tower now stands at 45 meters high, and possibly stood higher before it began sinking. It is said to sink about an inch in a year. It also leans slightly to the north.
The plaque indicates that the main door used to accommodate a man sitting erect on horseback, now it is buried halfway that a normal-sized person needs to bend over to enter. This is a working bell-tower and the 6 bells still toll to call the faithful.
I wonder if the establishments beside the bell tower are also sinking.
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| @ mirandablue |
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| @ mirandablue |
Posted for My World-Tuesday
19 comments:
What a terrific and interesting post for the day! Love your photos and such a fascinating old tower! Amazing! Thanks for sharing this! Hope you have a wonderful week!
Sylvia
Glad you didn't get run over in the attempt. It's an interesting structure - seems to have trees growing in it. I wonder if that's deliberate?
I'm glad you told us that this church is located in downtown. That is indeed challenging to capture this. You were up to the challenge though as these are pretty good shots.
Fabulous series. I enjoy your blog so much with its great photos and history. You do such a fine job. All you wrote is so true....I bet you did have a hard time getting all of these shots.
I hope it doesn't sink further, marvelous piece of history.
amazing!
very interesting post..i liked the first shot
What marvellous pictures of the bell tower!
The sound of these bells must be haunting. It is a pity such great architecture is slowly sinking but amazing that it has survived this well for so long with the busy transforming world around it.
Interesting post on the bell tower. It is a beautiful landmark. Thanks for sharing.
Amazing building. I feel the history from the shots. Thanks for sharing it.
Great to see the sinking bell tow though your lens... I sure can relate to the challenge of taking photos of a place like this... but you done good! :-)
very interesting building. Love your photos.
thank you for sharing this.
i remember ppassing by laoag but havent explored the sites yet as we focused on coastal sites.
looks interesting.
a lovely structure. great captures.
beautiful post and photos very nice photos
I wonder why it is sinking...and I hope it will stop, though.
I can see the challenge, but your captures are well done.
I love to visit there one day. I wonder why it is sinking. Great photos as always.
jennyfreckles those are natural plants growing out of the brick walls which part of it was also constructed from crushed eggshells. ebie the tower was built over a sandy foundation as laoag is located alongside the abra river. it is said to be sinking for about 1 inch annually.
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