Historic City of Vigan


World Heritage Identification Number: 502

World Heritage since: 1999

Category: Cultural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇵🇭 Philippines

Continent: Asia

UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific

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The Historic City of Vigan: A Unique Blend of Cultures in the Philippines

The Historic City of Vigan, located in the northern region of Luzon Island in the Philippines, stands as a testament to the rich cultural heritage that defines this Southeast Asian nation. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, Vigan offers a unique blend of architectural styles that reflect the convergence of influences from various parts of the Philippines, China, and Europe.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Established in the 16th century, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia.

Encyclopedia Record: Vigan

Vigan, officially the City of Vigan, is a component city and capital of the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 53,935 people.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 17.25 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape

Coordinates: 17.575 , 120.3875

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Image of Historic City of Vigan

© Ray in Manila, CC BY 2.0 Resized from original.

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Country Information: Philippines

Flag of Philippines

Official Name: Republic of the Philippines

Capital: Manila

Continent: Asia

Population (2024): 115,843,670

Population (2023): 114,891,199

Population (2022): 113,964,338

Land Area: 298,170 sq km

Currency: Philippine peso (PHP)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Historic City of Vigan are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Vigan, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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