The historic town of Vigan was inscribed in the World Heritage List in November 1999 because of its outstanding contribution in architecture,urban planning,and landscape design. It also serves as a testimony to a cultural tradition which has disappeared.
The justification for inscription is as follows:
""Criterion (ii): Vigan represents a unique fusion of Asian building design and construction with European colonial architecture and planning.
Criterion (iv): Vigan is an exceptionally intact and well preserved example of European trading town in East and South-East Asia.""
The name Vigan was derived from ""Biga"",a giant taro plant that grows abundantly along the banks of the Mestizo River. This river was central in the development of trade and community activities in Vigan during the 16th to the 19th centuries. Established in the 16th century,Vigan is the best preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from influences around the Philippines and China with those from Europe to create a unique culture and townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.
How to get there:
To get to Vigan City from Manila,you can take a 7 to 10 hours bus trip,or take a plane to Laoag City and from there a two hour bus ride to Vigan.
Last updated: 2007-01-28 20:19:38.629
