Santa Monica Church, Panay

Santa Monica at Panay was built in 1884 of coral blocks on the site of a church of 1774 that the typhoon of January 1875 wrecked - a broad church about seventy metres long with walls some three metres thick - and it is known for one object: a bell cast by Juan Reina around 1884, weighing more than ten tonnes, made from sacks of coins given by the townspeople. It is usually described as the largest church bell in Asia, a claim that depends on how you measure and which bells you count, but its size is not in dispute; it hangs in the belfry and is rung on major feasts, and it can be viewed by climbing the tower. The church itself was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1997 and has a stone facade, wooden ceiling and old retablos. Panay town sits minutes from Roxas City, which is the seafood capital of the region and the more usual reason to be in Capiz.

Highlights

• The great bell - the casting of around 1884 in the belfry.
• The coral-stone church - thick walls and stone facade.
• The wooden ceiling - beamed interior and old retablos.
• The bell tower climb - the stairs up to view the bell.

When to go

November to May for dry travel. Weekday mornings for quiet; the bell is rung on major feast days, which is worth timing for if you can.

Good to know

Access to the belfry is not always open - it depends on the parish staff. The largest-in-Asia claim is contested in detail. It is a working church with services.

Nearby

Roxas City and its seafood market are fifteen minutes away; the Capiz coast runs north and west.

Key facts