The First Appearance of Light at the Sinking Bell Tower Of Laoag City

In the quiet hour just after dawn, we arrived at Laoag City from the historic city of Vigan, more than an hour travel time on a private transportation. Our Coach Captain Vince decided to have our first meal of the day on a fast-food restaurant near the Capitol to have a glimpse of the nearby locality.

As I was about to unload and fix my camera equipment while my other colleagues went directly to this renowned fast-food dining place, another fellow with the name of Mr Raul Ilogon, an iconic Storyteller from our province went straight with enthusiasm to this mysterious place I have yet to discover. According to him, it has been decades since the last time he set foot to this destination.

As I went hastily through his path with eagerness while crossing the unfamiliar way, the spirit of curiosity brought me to the Sinking Bell Tower of Laoag City with the first appearance of light painted the sky with artistic canvas. “This would be an image worth documenting”, I said to myself while being amazed to this wonderful surprise.

The Sinking Bell Tower taken at the back part.

My wonderment went closer to this outstanding landmark which elevated my interest. The historic Bell Tower of Laoag City is believed to be sinking at a rate of an inch a year earning its “sinking” reputation. Accordingly, the mystery behind this occurrence can be traced back through time when it was built on sandy grounds by the Augustinians in 1612. The Baroque-inspired structure with a 90-meter (300 feet) foundation or others categorized it with a 45-meter elevation would be too heavy to accommodate its weight with the base.

The Bell Tower's vaulted entrance.

Stories from the earlier time states that any person riding a horse could possibly enter the Bell Tower’s vaulted entrance effortless. Today, even an individual with a normal height has to stoop just to enter its doorway.

The Sinking Bell Tower is part of the property of the St. William’s Cathedral, about 85 meters to the south of its location, and said to be the farthest bell tower positioned from its church. The construction is said to be a typical Baroque structures found in Ilocos region. The Bell Tower is made of locally manufactured bricks. These pieces of bricks then joined by the syrup and juice of sablot leaves with lime, sand and stucco plaster. The base with its massive rounded columns on each corner supports the graduated upper tiers noted for its graceful curved buttresses and corner. The tower is crowned by a double dome topped with a cross.

                                                                                                                    

Access to the top is through a vaulted tunnel leading to a winding wooden stairway. At the top are 6 bells of different sizes. A big bell on the third tier when rung can be heard in nearby towns.

As we left the tallest bell tower in the country on our way to the nearby marker, I brought with me the stories of the Bell Tower, an impeccable tale that tainted only by the passing time but will never sink nor faded.

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TOUCH DOWN:

The Sinking Bell Tower of Laoag is part of the official itinerary during our trip to Ilocos. It is located at the Northern part of Ilocos. From Vigan City, we traveled before sunrise an approximate of an hour and 15 minutes moving at moderate to high speed with a private van transport. The Sinking Bell Tower is one of the first landmarks to be noticed upon entering the city proper.