Vigan City
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Heritage City of Vigan Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan Lungsod ng Vigan |
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| Country | Philippines | ||
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| Region | Ilocos Region (Region I) | ||
| Districts | 1st District of Ilocos Sur | ||
| Barrios or Barangays | 39 | ||
| Cityhood | January 22, 2001 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Eva Marie Singson-Medina | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 11 km2 (4.2 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2007) | |||
| - Total | 47,246 | ||
| - Density | 4,295/km2 (11,124/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | PST (UTC+8) | ||
| Area code(s) | 77 | ||
| Website | City of Vigan | ||
| Population Census of Vigan City | |||
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| Census | Pop. | Rate | |
| 1995 | 42,067 |
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| 2000 | 45,143 | 1.53% | |
| 2007 | 47,246 | 0.63% | |
The City of Vigan [spanish: La Ciudad de Vigan / ilocano: Siyudad ti Vigan] is a third class city in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. It is the capital of the Province of Ilocos Sur. The city is located on the western coast of the large island of Luzon, facing the South China Sea.
It is a World Heritage Site in that it is one of numerous Hispanic towns in the Philippines, and is well-known for its cobblestone streets, and a unique architecture that fuses Philippine building design, and construction with colonial European architecture.
According to the latest Philippines census, it has a population of 47,246 people in 9,193 households.
Former Philippine president Elpidio Quirino, the 6th president of the Philippines, has a residence in Vigan, the Syquia Mansion.
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[edit] History
Vigan is an island which is separated from the mainland by three rivers.[citation needed] These rivers include the Abra River, the Mestizo River, and the Govantes River. The city is unique in the Philippine because it is one of many extensive surviving Philippine historic cities, dating back to the 16th century.
Vigan was a coastal trading post in pre-colonial times. Long before the Spaniards arrived; Chinese traders sailing from the South China Sea came to Isla de Vigan (Island of Vigan) via the Mestizo River that surrounded the island. On board were sea-faring merchants that came to trade goods from Asian kingdoms in exchange for gold, beeswax, and other mountain products brought by the indigenous peoples from the Cordilleras region.
In the book The Philippine Island (Vol. III, p. 276, Blair and Robertson) two letters from Governor General Guido de Lavezaris to King Philip II of Spain mention: "It seemed best to send Captain Juan de Salcedo with 70 or 80 soldiers to explore the coast of Los Ilocano on the shores of the river called Bigan." The Spaniards marched north from Manila on May 20, 1572, and arrived in Vigan on June 12, 1572.
Thus, after the successful expedition and the exploration of the North, Don Juan de Salcedo founded "Villa Fernandina de Vigan" in honor of King Philip II’s son, Prince Ferdinand of Spain who died at the tender age of four. From Vigan, Salcedo rounded the tip of Luzon and proceeded to pacify Camarines, Albay, and Catanduanes.
As a reward for his services to the King of Spain, Salcedo was awarded the old province of Ilocos which consisted of the modern provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, La Union and a part of Mountain Province as his hacienda (estate), and was accorded the title of "Justicia Mayor de esta Provincia de Ylocos" (Province Mayor of Ilocos).
In 1576, Salcedo returned to the capital of his encomienda (trusteeship), Vigan, bringing with him his soldiers, and some Augustinian missionaries to pioneer the evangelization of the Ilocos region. He established a Spanish city for the purpose of controlling the neighboring country.
Governor General Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas, in his Account of encomienda dated in Manila on May 31, 1591 states: The town of Vigan called Villa Fernandina consisted of Spanish settlers; a priest; a Justice Alcalde Mayor (Governor); and a Deputy. The King collects 800 tributes (equivalent to 3,200 subjects). During this period, Vigan was composed of 19 barrios (districts).
Between 1645 to 1660, Vigan was divided into 21 Cavezas de Barrios (Town Mayors) as mentioned in the Libro de Casamiento (Book of Marriage); from the records of the parish house of Vigan found in its Archives. Separated from the indigenous population; the Chinese migrants were residents in a neighbourhood called pariancillo, Los Sangleyes del parian (The Sangleyes of Parian); and the Spanish settlers were residents in a town called Los Españoles de la Villa (The Town of the Spaniards).
[edit] Origin of the City's Name
| Historic Town of Vigan* | |
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| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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| State Party |  Philippines |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iv |
| Reference | 502 |
| Region** | Asia-Pacific |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1999 (23rd Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO. |
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During the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, the conquistador Juan de Salcedo explored the Ilocos region, and established a military base in present-day Vigan. When the Spaniards first arrived in the area, at the place of present-day barrio Pagpartian (butchering place), through the Mestizo River, Salcedo noticed the lush, green plants growing along the riverbanks. He asked a native about the name of the place. The native, not understanding Spanish, thought he was asking the name of the plant, told him that they were "biga'a". So Salcedo derived the city's name, Vigan, from the plant.
Its full name at the time of its foundation was Villa Fernandina, (Town of Ferdinand) named after Prince Ferdinand, the first born son of King Philip II of Spain. As the city grew, and the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia transferred to the place, it was later named Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan, (Ferdinands City of Vigan) in honor of the Spanish Prince.
[edit] District
Vigan City is subdivided into 39 barrios or barangays.
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[edit] Major Schools Based in Vigan
- University of Northern Philippines - the oldest State University in Northern Luzon, founded by virtue of Republic Act 4449, authored by the late Congressman Floro Crisologo
- Saint Paul College of Ilocos Sur (formerly Rosary College) - the oldest privately-funded school in Ilocos Sur, founded by the Sisters of Saint Paul of Chartres in Vigan (but recently fully transferred to nearby Bantay)
- Divine Word College of Vigan - the second oldest privately-funded school in Ilocos Sur, founded by priests belonging to the Society of the Divine Word (SVD)
[edit] Gallery
[edit] External links
- The Vigan City Galleries
- Baluarte Zoo in Vigan
- My Vigan
- Heritage City of Vigan
- Philippine Travel Destinations: City of Vigan
- Vigan travel guide from Wikitravel
- Longanisa Vigan Festival
- Pasyalang Ilocos Sur
- Philippine Standard Geographic Code
- 1995 Philippine Census Information
- 2000 Philippine Census Information
- 2007 Philippine Census Information
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