Religious tour

Naga City has been a religious center since the Spaniards came here in the 16th century. Our guide says that the people are religious, which is why there are churches close to each other.

We visited the major religious landmarks not as pilgrims, but to see the sights.

The Peñafrancia Basilica Minore is relatively new. It was built close to the river in 1982 to house Our Lady of Peñafrancia.

Stained glass is the basilica's strongest feature, as its architecture is quite austere.

Peñafrancia Church, where the image of Ina used to be, is an early 18th century structure. It also has a museum.

Holy Rosary Minor Seminary or the Seminary of Nueva Caceres (the old name for Naga) houses an Archeological and Ecclesiastical Museum.

Beside the seminary is Naga Metropolitan Cathedral. It is massive and heavy, built in Spanish Romanesque style in the 19th century. I suppose they wanted to make it look older.

we wondered how long it took to paint the columns


trompe l'oeil ceiling

This is not a giant serving dish. It's where they put Our Lady of Peñafrancia during processions. The design keeps any troublemakers away from the image. To me, it's a work of art.