Paete Woodcarving Town

Paete Woodcarving Town is the municipality of Paete in eastern Laguna, on the northeastern shore of Laguna de Bay. It is nationally recognized as the Woodcarving Capital of the Philippines for its centuries-old woodcarving tradition. The town is lined with workshops and shops selling religious icons, furniture, and souvenirs, and is known for skilled artisans practicing techniques passed down through generations.

Visitors can expect a small lakeside town with streets lined with woodcarving shops, workshops and galleries displaying religious statues, furniture, wall panels and souvenirs. Artisans can be seen carving in open workshops using traditional hand tools. The town center includes the Saint James the Apostle Parish Church with its historic murals and carvings, a municipal plaza, and lakeside views at Wawa Park. Shopping and observing carvers at work are the main experiences.

Paete's woodcarving tradition dates to the Spanish colonial period, with local artisans noted for carving religious images for churches since the 16th-17th centuries. The craft was refined through generations and the town became a center for ecclesiastical carving and furniture making, contributing to church art across the Philippines.

Paete is officially proclaimed as the Woodcarving Capital of the Philippines and is known for preserving traditional woodcarving skills. The town also has a tradition of taka (papier-mâché) making and religious folk art, with carving knowledge transmitted within families and through community workshops.