Our Lady of the Pillar Church in Cauayan City is a beautiful brick church in Isabela, a province that takes pride in being the site of some of the oldest churches in the Philippines.

The parish had its beginnings on September 8, 1739, when a group of Dominican missionaries landed in Turayong, a barangay of this town later named Cauayan. From the very start of their mission work, the missionaries managed to convert to some 140 Gaddangs, the pioneer inhabitants of this city.

By 1741, the Cauayan mission was declared a full-fledged parish after the Dominican authorities, had a meeting in a general chapter in Manila. The parish was dedicated to Our Lady of the Pillars or Nuestra Señora del Pilar, with Fray Antonio Del Ocampo as its first vicar, who was at the same time Superior of all the missions from Cauayan to Bayombong. 

The first parish church began construction at around this time, under the supervision of Fray Juan Prieto. Records indicate that no expense was spared in building the church, which used first-class materials and the more modern galvanized roofing over a ceiling of bricks. It has a beautiful tower which was later destroyed by a violent earthquake.

The current church is a beautiful combination of old and modern architecture, with a very well-preserved exterior. The previous tower, which was destroyed, has been replaced with a five-storey bell tower, also in red brick, allowing it to match the rest of the structure. The only telltale sign that is a new addition is the sharp lines, especially at the base of the bell tower, and the brighter shade of brick.