Vigan (Eng. City of Vigan, Spanish. La Ciudad de Vigan, Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan, Tagalog. Lungsod ng Vigan) is the administrative center of the Southern Ilocos Province of the Philippines. The city covers an area of ​​11 km². Population – 47 246 people. (2007). The population density is 4,295 people/km².
The city is located on the west coast of the island of Luzon, overlooking the South China Sea. Built in different styles, the architecture combines both Spanish and oriental elements.

History
Vigan is located on an island separated from the main landmass by three rivers – Abra, Mestiso and Govantes. Even before the arrival of the Spaniards, the population of this area traded with Chinese merchants. Various goods from Asian countries came here in exchange for gold, wax and other goods produced by the peoples of the mountainous regions. Two letters from Governor-General Guido de Lavesaris to the Spanish King Philip II state:
It would be best to send Captain Juan de Salcedo with 70 or 80 soldiers to explore the lands of the Ilocans, on the banks of the river called Bigan.

The Spaniards arrived here in 1572. Juan de Salcedo founded the city, which was named Villa Fernandina de Vigan, in honor of the son of Philip II, Prince Ferdinand.
Initially, the province, centered on Vigan, united the territory of several modern provinces. These are Southern and Northern Ilocos, La Union, Abra and part of the Mountain Province. In 1576, with the arrival of the Augustinian monks, the Christianization of the region began. A Spanish garrison was stationed here to control neighboring territories. The city was originally called Villa Fernandina, then Villa Fernadina de Vigan, and in the end only the last part survived. In the 17th century, Vigan was the center of the Archbishopric of New Segovia.

Education in Vigan
The city has a number of institutions of higher education. Northern Philippine University is the oldest in Northern Luzon. St. Paul’s College of North Ilocos is the oldest private fundamental school founded by the sisters of St. Paul’s Convent in Vigan. Wigan Theological College is the second oldest private fundamental school in the province, founded by priests of the Theological Society.