Another interesting place to visit while in Dapitan is the Church of St. James the Great which sits adjacent to the City Plaza.
The church was constructed in 1871 in honor of St. James, the patron saint of Dapitan City under the administration of the Jesuit friars. The design of the church and its exterior walls are still the same except for the added finishing on the walls.
What I love about this church is its ceiling. It may not be original but it is interesting to see. the pattern is a bit dizzy, but i guess this is the only church I have seen so far that has this kind of ceiling design.
Near the church’s main door is a marker which says that our National Hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal used to stand during Sundays to hear Mass. Rizal was exiled in Dapitan for four years from 1892 to July of 1896.
The Church of St. James in Dapitan is part of a large piece of land that has been designated as part of the poblacion area. Just like any other town ran by the Spaniards, a parochial school can be found beside the church, the church is located right in front of a town plaza, and adjacent to it is the town hall.
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