27/09/2026
🌍 WORLD TOURISM DAY: Discovering the Historical Landmarks of San Carlos City
World Tourism Day, celebrated every September 27, reminds us that tourism is not only about visiting beautiful places. It is also about discovering the history, culture, faith, and stories that shape a community.
For San Carlos City, Pangasinan, formerly known as Binalatongan, several landmarks help preserve important chapters of the city's past.
✝️ 1. The Cross in Front of the Minor Basilica of Saint Dominic
Minor Basilica of Saint Dominic (Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan)
The cross in front of the historic church serves as a visible symbol of Christian faith and the long religious history of San Carlos. The Dominicans established their mission in Binalatongan in the late 1500s, and the community became an important center of Dominican activity in Pangasinan. The church and its surrounding area have witnessed major events in the city's history, including periods of conflict and the relocation of the town.
🗽 2. Liberty Monument at Plaza Libertad
The Liberty landmark at Plaza Libertad represents the community's continuing remembrance of freedom and civic identity. It can be viewed alongside San Carlos City's history as a community associated with several uprisings during the Spanish period.
The plaza itself is significant because traditional Philippine towns developed their central plaza near the church and important civic spaces, making these areas centers of community life.
🗿 3. Andres Malong Monument
DepEd San Carlos City, Pangasinan
Government
The monument of Andres Malong commemorates one of Binalatongan's most prominent historical figures. In 1660, Malong led a major uprising against Spanish colonial rule in Pangasinan. His movement became an important chapter in the history of resistance in the province.
The monument provides a physical reminder of this chapter of San Carlos City's history and the role of Binalatongan in the wider history of Pangasinan.
🗿 4. Juan dela Cruz Palaris Monument
Juan dela Cruz Palaris, whose real name was Pantaleon Perez, led a major uprising beginning in 1762 against Spanish authorities, particularly in response to tribute and forced-labor demands. His movement lasted for about two years and spread across much of Pangasinan. Binalatongan became an important center of the movement.
His monument at Central I preserves the memory of this important chapter in the city's history.
🗿 5. Juan Caragay Monument
Juan Caragay is associated with the 1718–1719 uprising in Binalatongan. On August 4, 1718, during the uprising, the church and convent were burned. Historical accounts connect this event with the subsequent transfer of the town's settlement to an area near the San Juan River.
This makes Caragay's monument particularly significant when understanding the connection between San Carlos City's historical landmarks, its church, and the San Juan River.
These landmarks are more than statues, a cross, or a monument in a plaza. Together, they create a living historical landscape—connecting the religious heritage of the Basilica, the idea of liberty, the stories of Malong, Caragay, and Palaris, and the development of Binalatongan into present-day San Carlos City.
Tourism becomes meaningful when we do more than visit. We learn, remember, respect, and help preserve the stories behind the places we call home.
Discover San Carlos. Know its history. Value its heritage.
