Dumangas Church

It was believed that the Spaniards arrived in Panay on the shores of Dumangas where a Malay trading settlement called Araut was already established. The church was constructed in 1887 through Fr. Fernando Llorente. The new church of this town instantly became the most artistic church in the Archipelago, so as with the cemetery of Janiuay which was also built by Fr. Llorente.The overall design is a combination of Gothic and Byzantine architecture. Somehow, the Gothic features of the church are more dominant compared to the byzantine ones. The artistic gothic windows of which is decorated with elaborate rosettes enforces an artistic flaming aura while opulent corithian columns flank each window. The gothic arched entrances are similar with the ones in Pavia which are only in Romanesque style.

Photos by: Explore Iloilo