The town of Pila in Laguna is considered to be a National Historical Landmark. Considered to be the a heritage town, its well-preserved old buildings makes it a popular destination for visitors going to farther towns like Sta. Cruz, Lumban or Paete.

Pila is one of the towns that are said to be one of the oldest inhabited lands in the country. Archeologists have discovered that it was already a settlement before 1000 A.D. Multiple artifacts, fossils, including Pinagbayanan potteries were found dating back to the Late Tang Dynasty during 900 A.D. This was also the site of the Philippine’s oldest crematorium. The town is also mentioned twice in the Laguna Copperplate Inscription, the most ancient document in the Philippines.

Before modern day Pila, it was called La Noble Villa de Pila, one of the few villas established by the Spanish colonizers. One of its historical structures is the Saint Anthony of Padua Parish Church. This Parish is the first Antonine Church of its kind. The founder of Pila is Don Felizardo Rivera, who gave his properties to the church and the local government. The families of Relova, Rivera, Agra, and Alava all have ancestral roots to Don Felizardo. On May 17, 2000, Pila was recognized as a historical landmark by the National Historical Institute. The Saint Anthony of Padua Parish Church was also recognized on July 9, 2002 as the Diocesan Shrine of St. Anthony by the Diocese of San Pablo.

The Pila Historical Society Foundation is meant to preserve the many historical structures found in the town. Its primary purpose is to conserve and protect the heritage town. Pila is proud to be the only historical town in the entire Philippines accepted by the government and at the same time by the Church. As a trivia, the municipality was featured during the second season of the Amazing Race Asia.

• Pinagbayanan Crematorium