Bell Tower

Overview

The Bell Tower in Poblacion, Baclayon is a historic structure associated with the Baclayon Parish Church complex. Baclayon Church — formally the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish — is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines, with construction beginning in the late sixteenth century under Spanish colonial administration. The bell tower is a detached structure forming part of the church compound.

The tower was left unfinished by the Jesuits when they were expelled from the Philippines in 1768, and was completed afterward by the Augustinian Recollects. It is built of coral stone and carries a bas-relief of Saint Andrew with an inscription recording its completion on May 20, 1777. The tower originally held nine bells cast between 1880 and 1894; six of the original nine remain in place today. One bell (cast 1886) was moved to the church museum, and another (cast 1872) was donated to the parish of Corella.

The 2013 Bohol earthquake caused the bell tower to collapse, along with the church portico. It was rebuilt as part of the 2014–2018 restoration of the Baclayon Church complex, which reopened on February 27, 2018.

Location

Poblacion, Baclayon, Bohol. Baclayon is on the southwestern coast of Bohol, approximately 6 kilometers east of Tagbilaran City along the coastal road.

Getting There

From Tagbilaran City, take the coastal highway east to Baclayon (approximately 15–20 minutes by tricycle or multicab). The Baclayon Church and its bell tower are in the town center of Poblacion, directly on the main road. The structure is visible from the road.

Practical Info

• The bell tower is part of the Baclayon Church complex; visiting the church compound provides access to the tower.
• The tower was fully rebuilt in the 2014–2018 post-earthquake restoration and has been standing and in use (with six of its original nine 19th-century bells) since the complex reopened in February 2018.
• [FACT NEEDED: whether visitors may enter the tower interior itself, or whether access is limited to viewing it from the churchyard.]

What to Expect

The bell tower is best understood as part of the broader Baclayon Church ensemble rather than as a standalone attraction. The church complex includes the main coral-stone church building, the convent, and the bell tower. The church museum, when open, holds religious artifacts and historical documents.

Baclayon municipality also includes Ambugani Hills, cave systems, the Balite Tree, and the beaches of Laya and Guiwanon, making the town a compact heritage and nature itinerary within a short drive of Tagbilaran City.

Notes

The 2013 Bohol earthquake (magnitude 7.2) caused the bell tower to collapse; it was rebuilt during the 2014–2018 restoration of the Baclayon Church complex, which reopened February 27, 2018. The tower dates in its present coral-stone form to 1777 (completed by the Augustinian Recollects after the Jesuits’ 1768 expulsion), and retains six of its original nine 19th-century bells (1880–1894).

Source: BPTO Table 11 — Inventory of Tourist Attractions, Bohol Tourism Profile Eco Dev 2025. Baclayon Church - Wikipedia, accessed 2026-07-17.

Research attempt, 2026-07-28: tried to confirm whether visitors may enter the bell tower interior (vs. viewing only from the churchyard). Checked TripAdvisor reviews, Wanderlog visitor reviews, and Viator/AccessTravel listing pages for Baclayon Church — no review or listing describes actually entering or climbing the tower; several describe it only as a photographic/viewing subject from outside (“offers a unique vantage point for capturing the church,” “iconic bell tower… visible from the road”). One travel blog (Suroy.ph, accessed 2026-07-28) states “Climbing to the top of the tower offers a panoramic view,” but this is a single uncorroborated source with no firsthand visitor account backing it, reads as generic/possibly AI-assisted travel copy, and conflicts with the tower’s function as a working bell housing — not treated as reliable enough to state as fact. No official NHCP, Diocese of Tagbilaran, or BPTO statement found addressing interior/tower access specifically. Tag left in place pending a source that documents an actual visit inside the tower or an official access policy.