Rizal Monument

Rizal Monument
Rizal Monument
Bantayog ni Jose Rizal

Coordinates

14.581669N 120.976694E

Location

Rizal Park, Manila

Designer

Richard Kissling

Type

Mausoleum

Material

Granite

Height

12.7 metres (42ft)

Beginningdate

1908

[1]

Coordinates: 14.581669N 120.976694E [1]

Completiondate 1913
Openingdate

December 30 , 1913

Dedicatedto

To the memory of Jose Rizal, patriot and martyr

The Rizal Monument originally called the Motto Stella (Guiding star) is a memorial monument in Rizal Park in
Manila, Philippines built to commemorate the Filipino nationalist, Jos Rizal. The mausoleum consists of a standing
bronze sculpture of the martyr, with an obelisk as his backdrop, set on a pedestal upon which his remains are
interred. A plaque on the pedestal front reads: "To the memory of Jos Rizal, patriot and martyr, executed on
Bagumbayan Field December Thirtieth 1896. This monument is dedicated by the people of the Philippine Islands".
The perimeter of the monument is in a continuous ritual guarding by the Philippine Marine Corps Marine Security
and Escort Group. About a 100m (330ft) west of the monument is the exact location where Rizal was executed
represented by life-size dioramas of his final moments.

Rizal Monument

Symbolism
There is also no official explanation of the meaning of the monuments details. The monument depicts Rizal in
overcoat holding a book, that represent his novels Noli Me Tngere and El filibusterismo. The obelisk is usually
taken to mean Rizals masonic background while the three stars are said to stand for Luzon, the Visayas and
Mindanao. The figures at the back of the monument, such as leaves and a pot, are said to symbolize the countrys
natural resources. The consensus is that the figures beside Rizala mother rearing her child and two young boys
readingsignify family and education.

History
The Rizal Monument was planned and constructed during the American colonial period of the Philippines in the
early 20th century.

Act no. 243

On September 28, 1901, the United States Philippine Commission approved Act No. 243, that granted the right to
use public land upon the Luneta in the city of Manila, where the monument was erected to commemorate the
memory of Jos Rizal, Philippine patriot, writer and poet. The act stated that the monument would not only bear a
statue of the hero, but would also house his remains.[2] The act also created a committee on the Rizal monument that
consisted of Pascual Poblete, Paciano Rizal (the heros brother), Juan Tuason, Teodoro R. Yangco, Mariano Limjap,
Mximo Paterno, Ramn Genato, Toms G. del Rosario, and Ariston Bautista. The members were tasked, among
others, with raising funds through popular subscriptions.

Design competition
The committee held an international design competition between 19051907 and invited sculptors from Europe and
the United States to submit entries with material preference produced in the archipelago.[3] The estimated cost of the
monument was 100,000. The insular government donated 30,000 for the fund. By January 1905, that goal had
been oversubscribed. When the campaign closed in August 1912, the amount collected had reached 135,195.61.

Winner announced
On January 8, 1908, the judging committee composed of then Governor-General James F. Smith, John T. MacLeod
and Dr. Maximo M. Paterno, officially announced its decision through the press. The first-prize winner was Carlos
Nicoli of Carrara, Italy for his scaled plaster model titled Al Martir de Bagumbayan (To the Martyr of
Bagumbayan) besting 40 other accepted entries. Nicoli won the 5,000.00 first prize for his design depicting a
monument rising 18 metres (59ft) high with a base of 12 metres (39ft). The base was to be rendered in two shades
of gray marble while the pedestal, in two shades of white marble. Among his other plans were the use of marble
from Italy and the incorporation of more elaborate figurative elements.[4]

Controversies
The contract was awarded to second-placer Swiss sculptor named Richard Kissling for his Motto Stella (Guiding
Star). Many accounts explained why the contract landed to Kissling, one is Nicolis inability to post the required
performance bond of P20,000 for the duration of the monuments construction. Some sources say that Nicoli failed to
show up at the designated date for the signing of the job contract. Another narrative declared Kissling's quotation
was lower than that of Prof. Nicolis. A complaint was reportedly filed by Nicoli through the courts of justice.

Rizal Monument

3
Some of the local press lambasted Kisslings model. It was satirized in
a cartoon and labeled vulgar y tosco, meaning lousy. The constituents
of the Jury of Awards none of whom were artists, architects nor
engineers were also questioned. There were plans for the famous
Filipino painter Flix Resurreccin Hidalgo to inspect and modify the
design. However, the latter was ultimately left as it is since the
bronze of the statues had already been cast in Switzerland.

Back view of the monument

Dedication
More than twelve years after the Philippine Commissions approval of the Act, the shrine was finally unveiled on
December 30, 1913 during Rizals 17th death anniversary. The remains of Rizal interred in the monument which
consisted of bones because after his execution, the hero was secretly buried without a coffin at Paco Cemetery. There
was an account of how his sister Narcisa ultimately discovered the burial site and how she bribed the caretaker to
mark the site with RPJRizals initials in reverse. . His poem, now popularly known as "Mi Ultimo Adios" ("My
Last Farewell") is inscribed on the memorial plaque.

World War II
During World War II in 1943, the Japanese government issued 'invasion money' to
occupied territories in the Pacific area of operations, one of which was the
Philippines. Out of three series, the second was issued in 1, 5, 10, and 100 Peso
only. All have the Rizal monument vignette on the banknote.

WWII Philippine banknote with

Rizal Monument

Steel pylon
In Rizal's birth centenary year of 1961, a stainless steel pylon was superimposed
over the granite obelisk, increasing the structure's height from 12.7 meters to 30.5
meters. The remodeling undertaken by the Jose Rizal National Centennial
Commission (JRNCC) was widely criticized. Many found the gleaming modern
steel shaft incompatible with the somber granite base. Moreover, the latter seemed
to dwarf the much smaller Rizal figure. Others simply dislike the idea of
tampering with a popular and traditional image.
The designer of the remodeling was Juan Nakpil, who later became the country's
first National Artist for Architecture. He quoted former Secretary of Education
and JRNCC chair Manuel Lim as envisioning the pylon as a convenient guide for
incoming boats, and for the people lost in their way around the city.
The P145,000 shaft was removed two years later under the request of Secretary of
Education Alejandro Roces and Director of Public Libraries Carlos Quirino. It

The steel pylon that temporarily

surmounted the monument.

Rizal Monument

was dismantled during Holy Week, reportedly to prevent any court injunction from restraining them as government
offices were closed during holidays. The pylon is now located at the median of the Baclaran section of Roxas
Boulevard.

Management
Rizal Monument, as well as Rizal Park, is administered by the National
Parks Development Committee, an attached agency of the Department
of Tourism.

References
[1] http:/ / tools. wmflabs. org/ geohack/ geohack. php?pagename=Rizal_Monument&
params=14. 581669_N_120. 976694_E_region:PH_type:landmark

Close-up of the monument plaque

[2] Division of Insular Affairs, War Department (1901). "Public Laws and Resolutions
Passed by the United States Philippine Commission", p.689. Washington:
Government Printing Office.
[3] (1905-06). "Proposed Monuments and Monuments News", p.40. Granite, Marble

and Bronze Magazine Vol. 15.

[4] Ingles, Raul Rafael. "1908: the way it really was: historical journal for the UP centennial 1908-2008. The University of the Philippines Press,
2008. ISBN 978-971-542-580-3.

External links
The Official Government Portal of the Republic of the Philippines (http://www.gov.ph/)
National Parks Development Committee - Rizal Park (http://www.nationalparks.ph/rizalpark/main.htm)
History of Rizal Monument (http://myrizal150.com/2011/06/the-story-of-the-rizal-monument/)

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

Rizal Monument Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=583610805 Contributors: Benhen1997, Briarfallen, Effeietsanders, Hmains, Howard the Duck, Jztan, President Rhapsody,
Ryomaandres, Tabletop, TerraHikaru, TheCoffee, Xeltran, Yournecs, 8 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

File:DSC7989.png Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:DSC7989.png License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Contributors: Yournecs
Image:Rizal Park Facing Quirino Grandstand.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Rizal_Park_Facing_Quirino_Grandstand.jpg License: Creative Commons
Attribution 2.0 Contributors: Gabo Halili from San Mateo, Rizal, Philippines
File:Peso Bills WWII Rizal Monument.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Peso_Bills_WWII_Rizal_Monument.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike
3.0 Contributors: User:Briarfallen
File:RizalPark1910.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:RizalPark1910.JPG License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Original uploader
was Anthraxx56@yahoo.com at en.wikipedia
File:Rizal monument plaque close-up.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Rizal_monument_plaque_close-up.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0
Contributors: User:Ryomaandres

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