Loon Public Plaza

Overview

The Loon Town Plaza (Loon Public Plaza) was completed in 1929 and, per the Municipality of Loon’s own tourism page, is considered the most elaborately designed plaza in the province. Its centerpiece is a monument to the national hero (Jose Rizal), with a symmetrical layout marked on each side by a flight of steps bound by ornate balustrades. A separate fountain feature in the plaza is built as a column of four caryatids supporting a round, gargoyle-spouted basin, topped by two female figures — one carrying an urn, one drinking from her cupped hand — said to depict the folk-etymological origin of the name “Loon,” from “tubig nga naglo-on” (the mixing of salt sea water with fresh spring water). The plaza fronts the Nuestra Señora de la Luz Church and is the staging ground for the SidlaKasilak (Festival of Lights) celebration. A painted 3D pedestrian lane was also added to the plaza as part of the municipality’s tourism-development projects following the popularity of the “Hugot Road” 3D lane on Sandingan Island.

Location

Barangay Moto Norte, Loon town center, Bohol, immediately fronting the Nuestra Señora de la Luz Church. Loon is approximately 27 km northwest of Tagbilaran City.

Getting There

From Tagbilaran City, travel approximately 27 km (about 37 minutes by bus/public transport, or roughly 25 minutes by private vehicle) to Loon proper. The church — and plaza in front of it — is visible on the left of the National Highway when arriving from Tagbilaran, or on the right when arriving from Tubigon.

Practical Info

A public open space, free of admission, in Loon’s civic center, with the heritage church as the primary landmark.

[TO ENRICH: whether the 1929 plaza structure or fountain required repair after the 2013 earthquake.]

What to Expect

On an ordinary day the plaza reads as civic space rather than tourist stop: the church forms a backdrop to the Rizal monument and its balustraded stairs, and the caryatid fountain runs quietly as a minor landmark rather than a spectacle — worth a closer look for the name-origin story it tells, easy to walk past otherwise. During SidlaKasilak, that same footprint fills with light installations and crowds for Loon’s biggest annual event, a different rhythm entirely.

Notes

• Loon Parks — Municipality of Loon, accessed 2026-07-17.
• Loon Local Heritage — Municipality of Loon, accessed 2026-07-17.
• The New Tajang 3D Lane in Bohol is a Localised Version of Abbey Road — Tripzilla, accessed 2026-07-17.