Iloilo City - highly urbanized city, capital of the eponymous province in the island of Panay in the region and the center of Western Visayas. In 2007, the city population was 418,000 people. From the east and south it is washed by the Iloilo Strait.

The story begins Iloilo during the Spanish colonization, when a number of small fishing villages were merged into one city, which after 1855 became the second most important port of the colony due perepogruzke sugar vessels coming from the nearby island of Negros. Later, Queen Regent of Spain Iloilo granted the title of "very noble and loyal city". In the early 20th century, only in the capital Manila and Iloilo were stores selling luxury items from around the world. In 1888, in La Paz it was opened Agricultural Experiment Station, in 1891 - the School of Arts and Crafts, and in 1894 - laid telephony.

Disposition of Iloilo and its architecture are the features of both the Spanish colonial heritage and American period in the history of the country. Since the city was originally a union of independent settlements today in every area you can see its own central square, surrounded by office buildings and churches. In 1930, architect Juan Arellano developed a plan for development of Iloilo, which was inspired by the ideas of Ebenezer Howard's "garden city".

One of the main attractions is the old Iloilo Jaro Cathedral, dedicated to St. Elizabeth of Hungary. During the annual celebration in honor of the saint in the church gathers thousands of believers. It also houses the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary candles - this is the only icon of the Philippines, personally consecrated by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Iloilo in 1981. Interestingly, the bell tower of Jaro - one of the few in the country, standing apart from the church. It was built by the Spaniards, and served as a watchtower for the prevention of attacks against Muslims in Mindanao. During the 1948 earthquake destroyed the bell tower, but in the mid-1990s has been restored.

Other notable churches are the church of Molo Iloilo, built in the 19th century in neo-Gothic style, and the Evangelical Church of Jaro - the first Baptist church in the Philippines. Molo Church, also known as "The Church of Women" as its columns decorated with statues of saints women.

Jaro District is one of the oldest parts of Iloilo. Here you can see the mansions "sugar barons" and many noble families of the city, built in the Spanish colonial style. Another "Meeting" architectural values ​​considered Calle Real in downtown. Houses on it, built during the Commonwealth, have been declared a national treasure Iloilo.

An interesting tourist attraction is Muelle Loney - a river port, named after the British consul Nicholas Loney, who is considered the "father" of the sugar industry in the islands of Panay and Negros. Protected by typhoons Guimaras Island, Muelle Loney is recognized as one of the safest harbor of the country. For the international market the port was opened in 1855.

6 km south of Iloilo is located La Villa Rica de Arevalo - a town of flowers and fireworks. It contains the third oldest image of Saint Nino in the Philippines and a copy of the crown of the Spanish Queen Isabel.