
Built larger than the usual town church, the people in the early days thought that Cabatuan church in Central Iloilo appeared like a Basilica. The church was then known during the Hispanic Era for its three domes and three facades. It was even dubbed by local publications as 'The Model of Temples'. Today, only two of the three domes survived the 1948 Earthquake but the three facades are still intact.
The whole structure emphasizes simplicity and massiveness, yet the overall use of red bricks add up a sense of sophistication.
Now, I wonder how many bricks were baked to built a church this huge? The architectural style fuses Neoclassicism and Baroque, perhaps influenced by Latin American Colonial Art. The Retablo inside the church is also considered to be the tallest retablo there is in all of Iloilo. It is built of yellowish stone, a feature that churches in Iloilo is known for because retablos in other regions are built of wood.
Cabatuan Church is considered the largest red brick Hispanic structure in all of the Visayas, and perhaps, the entire Philippines. It's size and beauty make it one of the architectural wonders of the country.