Laoag City, Philippines

Описание: "The bell tower was presumably built after the 1707 earthquake. It withstood several minor earthquakes since completion, hence earning membership to the “Earthquake Baroque” styles architecture scholars label, along with several churched across the Philippines and Guatemala. It was locally constructed by Ilocano artisans who used bricks joined by molasses and leaves from a local plant named sablot. With a foundation of 90 meters and a height of 45 meters, it was a solid structure that towered over Ilocanos for centuries.

Maybe not for too long.

It is believed that the tower is sinking at a rate of an inch every year. There aren’t any conclusive scientific explanations to this, but one accepted theory is that because the tower was built on sandy land and considering its heavy and massive structure, this causes the whole tower to slowly bury itself into the ground.

Stories from the past tell of people mounted on horses being able to pass through the tower’s gates. However, if one visits the bell tower today, they would realize they would have to almost crawl through its gates to enter the bell tower. (Unfortunately, the city council strictly prohibits unauthorized entry into its prized history.)

Today, the bell tower also sinks in a figurative way. The booming city of Laoag continues to undergo tremendous structural changes. The cathedral itself was recently repainted beige and yellow (much to the locals’ dismay), but the old, gray sinking bell tower still stands, tarnished only by the passing of time." atlasobscura.com