Laoag
City, Ilocos Norte, the city's name meaning "light"
in the Ilocano dialect, is located in northwestern Luzon, Philippines.
It lies on the north bank of the non-navigable Laoag River,
a few miles above the latter's mouth. Laoag was first occupied
by the Spaniards in 1592 and is now the largest city in northern
Luzon.
Ilocos
Norte is best known as the home province of former president
Ferdinand Marcos. The province has many old Spanish Churches,
the best known being St. William's Cathedral in
the capital city, Laoag. There are a number of popular
beaches in the province, including Currimao, La Paz, Seksi
Beach, Pagudpud, the Saud Beach,
and the Fort Ilocandia beach.
A
fascinating feature of Laoag is the Tobacco Monopoly Monument,
a memorial to the lifting of the tobacco monopoly by the Spanish
government in 1881. The Sinking Belltower in Laoag
is one of the tallest in the country, while the Acrobatic
Belltower of Bacarra gains its name from the effects
of earthquake damage.
Memories
of the Marcos era abound the province, including Balay
Ti Ili, the ancestral house of the Marcoses in Batac,
which showcases the memorabilia of the late president. Malacanang
of the North, on the shores of legendary Paoay Lake,
is now a museum.
Cape
Bojeador Lighthouse stands on a promontory in Burgos
and is still operational. Paoay Church, built
of coral blocks and stucco-plastered bricks, is a unique combination
of Gothic, Baroque and Oriental architectural styles. The church
is included in UNESCO's World Heritage List.
Tourists
Info and Attractions:
