Barcelona Ruins Park

Barcelona Ruins Park - Sorsogon

January 27, 2020

Located on the coastal area of the town Barcelona in the province of Sorsogon, Barcelona Ruins Park refers to the park where century-old ruins of Spanish colonial-era buildings are found.

Barcelona Ruins Park

Barcelona Ruins Park History

Speaking of the ruins of Spanish Colonial-era buildings, there are two such ruins in Barcelona Ruins Park. The school building ruins at the southeastern tip of the park and the prominent Presidencia building ruins in the northwestern tip of the park.

The ruins of the Presidencia building as seen from across the street

A closer look at the Presidencia Building

The ruins of the school building at the far end of Barcelona Ruins Park

The Presidencia building was once the office of the governadorcillo during the colonial period. If you're wondering why the building seems massive in size, well it's because it doubled as a fortress that guards the town against the pirates and Moro raider that once frequently attacks Spanish-controlled settlements.

The St. Joseph Parish Church (Barcelona Church) across the street from the park

The pirates sure were no match for the fortress and the town remained under the control of the Spanish until their departure in 1898. What the pirates and raiders failed to do, Mother Nature and Father Time accomplished. The once-formidable Presidencia building eventually became a worn-down structure and the locals realized that there was little reason to rebuild and restore it, unlike the adjacent Spanish colonial-era St. Joseph Parish Church (Barcelona Church) which underwent several restorative works the most recent was during our visit last May 2019.

I LOVE BARCELONA standee

Viewing the ruins from the side.

Presently, the ruins remain as the town's most famous landmark. Regardless of the ruins, Barcelona Ruins Park evolved with time as evidently seen through the giant I LOVE BARCELONA standee which seems to be this decade's trend among towns, cities, and landmarks. The park also has a modern lighthouse and not to mention the free WiFi internet connection in some of its areas.

Here are some photos in and around the Presidencia Building:

I got to visit Barcelona Ruins Park twice in one day during the 4th day of our 2019 Bicol Road Trip with the family. Our visit was actually a quick stop to visit St. Joseph Parish Church which turned out to be under major restoration so we just snapped some photos of it and the ruins of the Presidencia Building across the street. Our second visit was during our drive back to our hotel in Legazpi City after exploring Bulusan Lake. During our second stop, we made sure that we check out what the park has to offer and of course, we didn't miss out on the chance to have our family photo at the I LOVE BARCELONA standee.

That's me admiring the ruins...

Team Nicerio visits Barcelona Ruins Park

Barcelona Ruins Park Admission Fee:

You can enter and explore Barcelona Ruins Park for FREE.

Barcelona Ruins Park Opening Hours:

Barcelona Ruins Park is open 24 hours. However, the best time to visit is early in the morning and in the afternoon.

Why visit Barcelona Ruins Park?

Barcelona Ruins Park is a nice place to have that quick stopover when exploring the eastern side of the province of Sorsogon. Not only will you see the ruins of the Presidencia building, but you'd also get the chance to enjoy the view of the coast. In the near future, when the restoration works are done, you could visit the church to attend mass then visit the park after.

Getting to Barcelona Ruins Park:

From Manila, ride a Penafrancia Bus to Sorsogon City (P890 -950). From there, ride a jeepney to the town of Gubat then transfer to another jeepney to Barcelona. Tell the driver to drop you off at Barcelona Church. From there you can just cross the street to get to the Barcelona Ruins Park.

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