Late 1500s

The most commonly known source of the city's name is from the Biga'a plant, which once grew abundantly along the banks of the Mestizo River, from which captain Juan de Salcedo derived the city's name (after a misunderstanding with the locals, thinking he was asking the name of the plants).Vigan is unique for having preserved much of its Hispanic colonial character, particularly its grid street pattern and historic urban lay out. Its significance also lies on how the different architectural influences are blended to create a homogenous townscape.

The historic town of Vigan was established in the late-1500s, during the Spanish domination of the Philippines, and still has the same look and feel hundreds of years later. The well-preserved city is the capital of Ilocos Sur, in the northwest of Luzon, and is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.