Exploring the Tourist Attractions

The excitement of wanderlusting in Boljoon, a place deemed as "the only postcard town in the entire province of Cebu" really thrilled us. The hype of exploring the different vistas of beauty were making us dizzy and we even forgot that the purpose of our visit was to construct a cultural map of the town. During our ride on the bus, the enthusiasm was really evident on our faces and we were talking animately about the things that we would eventually do upon arriving. The moment we set foot on the town, we were enthralled with the different sceneries that welcomed us. It seemed like the stress from our long trip vanished instantly after breathing the air of Boljoon. The town made us dismiss our primary objectives and we were just full of " wows" and "ohhs" .

This picture shows the famous Ili Rock Formation. The rock formation was ruined because of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the province of Cebu and Bohol last 2013. Nevertheless we still find and appreciated its beauty despite the loss of a huge slab from this geological fomation.

According to a website promoting Boljoon, this tourist spot is described as a rocky promontory at the entrance to the town center from the north. This huge and jutting slab of geological formation called Ili Rock is considered by Boljoanons as their second most important landmark next to the Parish Complex.

Ili Rock or Ilihan served as a natural fortress during pre-historic times and early Boljoon settlers were believed to have built their homes close to this rock formation.

Visitors come across Boljoon after a drive along a part of the coastal highway that snakes around the foot of Ili Rock.

These are the vast and beautiful seas surrounding the coastal areas of the town. Majority of the townspeople are getting their primary resources and their livelihood from the sea. While exploring the town, we saw many "bangka" perched on the seashores which provided us evidences that what we have researched were true and credible.

This is the Church of Patronicio de Maria. The church is very astounding and the beauty of its' architecture left our mouths open in awe. When we got inside th church, we were once again amazed because of the marvelous divine altar and the fascinating paintings found in every corner around the church especially at the masterpiece drawn on the ceiling (picture below) .

The paintings on the ceiling.

The divine altar of the church

Information about The Church of Patronicio de Maria:

Nuestra Señora de Patronicio Parish Church of Boljoon shows old intricate carvings and bas-reliefs. It is in a psudo-baroque rococo style. It has a main nave, a transcript, and twenty-eight pillars which support the walls. The walls are as thick as the pillars which are 2 metres (6 ft 7 inches) thick and made of mortar and lime.

In 1999, the National Historical Institute declared it a National Jistorical Landmark. The following year, the National Museum declared it as a National Cultural Treasure.

This is the 18th century cemetery located at the left rear side of Patronicio de Maria church. The tourist guide there, informed us that this cemetery became the burial site of the town's forefathers or priests that preached in the church many years ago. This is also considered as the first Catholic Cemetery of Boljoon

The fact that this was a very old cemetery scared us a little bit but we still found the place astonishing because of the very beautiful architecture of the pillars and other imfrastractures found there.

This statuesque building is called "El Gran Baluarte". This is the biggest watchtower located near Patronicio de Maria Church that was built here in Cebu. It played a crucial role in the defense system of the fortresses put up by Fr. Bermejo to deter Moro raids.(Boljoon Guide website)

This is Boljoon's version of Rizal Monument. The two-level blockhouse hovering behind Rizal's statue is what the townspeople call "Dakong Balay". According to information provided by traveleronfoot.wordpress.com, a blog, the infrastracture was built in 1808 and served as the main complex of the church complex's fortification. Today, the blockhouse serves as the bell tower where four iron cast bells are installed replacing the artilleries that were then mounted in the roofed parapets.

The mysterious building in this picture is a school called "Escuela Catolica". Built in 1940, the Escuela Catolica was used as a dormitory for children who are required to stay in the house overnight before they receive their first Holy Communion. It has been used for teaching catechism and was for a time a primary school. (traveleronfoot.wordpress.com)

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