The small town of Janiuay, located in the province of Iloilo on the Panay Island, boasts several historical buildings dating back centuries ago.
The Catholic Church was completed in 1770 - the material used for its construction was sandstone, limestone and brick. Its belfry once housed three huge, beautiful bells, the largest of which weighed almost a tonne. But the structure was badly damaged during the World War II, and the bells were removed after the war. During this procedure, the largest bell fell to the ground and cracked - a 46 cm long crack stretched from the very edge to the top. Today, this bell can be seen on the belfry of the new church, built in the late in the late 1960s. When it is rung, it makes a distinctive rattling sound, that can be heard from miles away.
Another attraction in the town of Janiuay is the cemetery, established in 1870. It is walled with ancient sandstone and bricks, brought here from another town. The Spanish priest Father Llorente, who supervised the construction of the cemetery, chose the Gothic style, characteristic of the time. The cemetery is located one kilometre from the church.
In addition, in Janihuey you can see several old small sugar factories, which are owned by the descendants of the Spaniards and Swedes who once lived here. These factories used to produce brown sugar. The rotating mild steel crushers, driven by buffaloes, extracted the sugar from the cane, and then it was boiled in huge vats until it became brown and hard.
Two rivers run through the town, the Magapa and the Souage, which serve as a source of of water for agriculture. There is a bridge across the Suage, which witnessed a fierce battle between Japanese soldiers and combined U.S.-Philippine troops during World War II.
