Philippines/Luzon: Santa Maria Church
The spectacular medieval church located in the town of Santa Maria in Ilocos Sur is fully known as the Church and Convent of Our Lady of the Assumption in Santa aka Santa Maria Church. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was built in 1765 by the Spanish o the site of a commanding hilltop position (85 steps lead up to the church from the town below). The church looks more like a citadel and a fully fortified fortress than a place of worship – massive walls, no windows, lookout tower, etc. It is one of the finest examples of Spanish baroque architecture in the Philippines. And most importantly – there were loads and loads of bats hanging around the altar inside the church, live bats!
