Punta Cruz Watchtower

Punta Cruz Watchtower is a Spanish colonial-era coral stone watchtower located in Barangay Punta Cruz, Maribojoc, Bohol, Philippines. Built in 1796, it stands on a rocky promontory overlooking the Bohol Strait and Cebu. It is notable as the only watchtower in the Philippines with a perfect isosceles triangle plan and is recognized as a National Cultural Treasure for its well-preserved military architecture.

Visitors can expect a compact coastal heritage park centered on a three-storey coral stone watchtower with a triangular footprint. The tower stands on a cliff edge with open sea views toward Cebu, surrounded by a small plaza, shoreline and beach area below. Visitors can view the exterior masonry, wooden floors and roof, climb internal stairs to the upper level for panoramic views, and explore the adjacent coastline and interpretive markers.

Built in 1796 under Augustinian Recollect priest Fr. Manuel Sanchez de Nuestra Sra. del Tremedal, the watchtower was part of the Spanish colonial coastal defense system to monitor and warn against Moro pirate raids in the Visayas. Constructed of cut coral stones, it served as a lookout and fortification along the western coast of Bohol.

Declared a National Cultural Treasure and National Historical Landmark, the tower is valued as an exceptionally preserved example of Spanish-era military architecture and colonial heritage in Bohol. It represents the historical coastal defense tradition and remains a cultural landmark for the community of Maribojoc.