San Guillermo Church

It is one of the oldest and largest churches in Pampanga. It was constructed by the Augustinian friars in 1576 on the lot of Don Guillermo Manabat, a rich landlord believed to be the founder of Bacolor. The church was restored by Fr. Manuel Diaz in 1897. The church measured 56m. long, 15m. wide and 12m. high. It has a central nave and an ample and well-lighted transept with windows. The main retablo, side retablos and pulpit are gilded with gold leaf. The richness of the decoration of Bacolor is indicative of the advanced stage of its baroque style. In spite of the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo which half-buried the church on Oct. 1, 1995, masses are still held every Sunday morning.

St Paul Metropolitan Cathedral

This church was built in “earthquake barouque’ style (ie thick-walled and massive) after an earlier incarnation was damage by 2 quakes in 1619 and 1627. The construction of the original wooden, thatched church is believed to have been supervise by Salcedo himself in 1574.