Igorot Stone Kingdom
The 6,000 sq. m. Igorot Stone Kingdom is a man-made theme and amusement park, surrounded by tall trees, built on a mountainside, by owners Engr. Pio (also known as Ama Bag-owan) and Haiji Velasco, to showcase the indigenous culture of Cordilleras, as well as the practices, traditions, values and way of life of its people.
The author at the entrance
The newest and one of the most popular attractions in Baguio City, it is based on the legend of Sab-angan which is believed to be an Igorot Kingdom, ruled by King Alapo Baguwan, that once existed thousands of years ago.
His concept for the man-made kingdom was an “Igorot child’s castle fantasies, his childhood in Mountain Province, and a caring God and family culture brought by the Igorot’s skill of stone laying. The stone park was also built as a tribute Velasco’s strong and patient Igorot mom, Rita C. “Rosing” Gal-Velasco (1928-2012) who taught her five children patience and strength.
Jandy seated on the King’s Throne
The attraction, though built for tourism purposes, is also a place to learn about the rich culture of the Igorot people. Described as a “cultural revolution,” it aims to correct the misconceptions about Igorots by showing people that the Igorots are civilized and culturally advanced, and that they take pride in their skills and heritage.
Igorot Golden Bridge
Construction of the Igorot Stone Kingdom began on March 15, 2020 and it formally opened to public in May of 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming viral in social media. However, last November 9, 2022, the site was closed due to permit and safety reasons. It only reopened again this April 3, 2023 in time for Holy Week.
Igorot Gold Mine
Temple of Kabunyan
The highlight of Igorot Stone Kingdom is the stone walls, inspired by the ladder-like layout of the rice terraces of Batad in Banaue, that were built in in traditional riprap (locally called kabite) where stones or boulders are interlocked together to form a wall. Traditionally, a riprap does not involved the use of cement but for purposes of reinforcement, cement are put on top.
The White Carabao
The Igorot Stone Kingdom features different towers and monuments such as the:
- Fertility Tower
- Tower of the Igorot God Kabunyan
- Tower of Gatan and Bangan – depicts their fantasy story of how this Igorot man and woman survived the great holocaust.
- White Carabao Monument – according to Pio, this was the exact location where he had a sighting (on March 1, 2020) of a white carabao (In Igorot culture, it symbolizes good luck and prosperity) which he took as a sign to build the Stone Kingdom.
- Igorot Gold Mine
- Igorot Golden Bridge – a steel bridge
- Bangan’s Dome
- Igorot Heroes Hall – houses life-size statues of prominent Igorots.
- King’s Throne
- King’s CR
- Wishing Well
Nacagang Plaza
Sabangan Plaza
There were also modern-day castles made of cement and hollow blocks, among others, all showcasing the talent and skills of the Igorot. What captured our attention was the beautiful layers of stone-formed castle structure resembling rice terraces which, from a birds-eye view, the place looks like a ruin of an old Roman castle. For photo-ops, you can rent Igorot costumes.
Bangyol’s Point
It also looks like a maze, with its concentric stone corridors, which lets you roam around and admire every nook and cranny of the entire castle. There are just so many things to see and discover in this attraction that are all picture-worthy.
The King’s CR
There’s also a coffee shop (King’s Coffee Shop), a fastfood area (Ina Rita’s Food Court), toilets and view decks. Still a work in progress, you can expect the park to add more attractions including life-sized statues of prominent Igorots as it completes its construction.
Wishing Well
Igorot Stone Kingdom: 362 Long-Long Benguet Rd., Brgy. Pinsao Proper, Baguio City, Benguet. Mobile number: (0945) 311-2286. Open daily, 6 AM to 6PM. Admission: Php 100 (adults) and Php80 (kids). Toddlers 3 years old and below can enter free of charge. Discounts are offered for senior citizens and persons with disability (PWD).
How to Get There: Located 5 kms. from the Central Business District, you can ride a jeep bound for Tacay-Longlong in Otek St. You may also ride a taxi from CBD, which may cost you at least Php 175. The park is 500 m. from Tam-awan Village.