San Agustin Church

San Agustin was completed in 1607, the third church on its site and the first built in stone, and it has stood through every earthquake, fire and war since - it was the only structure in Intramuros left standing after the battle for Manila in 1945, when the rest of the walled city was destroyed. It is one of four Baroque Churches of the Philippines inscribed by UNESCO in 1993. The interior is the surprise: a barrel vault painted in the 1870s by two Italian artists in trompe-l'œil coffering and mouldings that look carved until you stand under them, a carved wooden main door, a choir loft with molave stalls and a large old organ. The adjoining Augustinian monastery is now a museum of religious art, vestments and manuscripts arranged around cloisters and gardens. Miguel López de Legazpi, the founder of Spanish Manila, is buried in the church.

What you actually see

• The painted vault - trompe-l'œil coffering across the ceiling.
• The carved main door - the original wooden entrance.
• The choir stalls - molave woodwork in the loft.
• The monastery museum - cloisters, art and vestments.

When to go

Mornings on weekdays. Weekends are dense with weddings, when the church closes to sightseers; the museum keeps its own hours.

Honest expectations

The church is often unavailable between weddings at weekends. Museum entry is a separate fee. Photography rules vary, and flash is not permitted inside.

Nearby

Manila Cathedral, Casa Manila and Fort Santiago are minutes away in Intramuros.