Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion Church

Located in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur, Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion Church (also known as Sta. Maria Church) is a centuries-old church nestled atop of a hill overlooking the town proper and can be reached through a stairway of 85 steps. The earthquake-baroque church was built in 1765 at the present location by the Augustinians; and was also used as a fortress during the 1896 Revolution and World War II.

Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion Church was declared as a National Historical Landmark in January 1974. It was then declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1993. The church was also designated as a National Cultural Treasure in 2015.