The Story of Rizal Monument JR BALIGOD

More than a century ago, some of the worlds leading sculptors participated in an
international contest to design and build it.
United States Philippine Commission Act No. 243, dated September 28, 1901, the
Rizal monument was approved by the United States President Theodore Roosevelt.
The act created a committee for raising the budget for the monument to be built
and also required the allocation of land in the Luneta, near where Rizal fell/died
when he was executed by the Spanish soldiers on December 30, 1896.
It also specified that the monument shall have the statue of Rizal and will also serve
as the final resting place of his remains.
Paciano Rizal (Rizals brother) and Tagalog novelist Pascual Poblete Juan Tuason,
Teodoro R. Yangco, Mariano Limjap, Mximo Paterno, Ramn Genato, Toms G. del
Rosario, and Ariston Bautista were tasked to hold a design contest for the future
monument.
The grand prize winner would be awarded a cash prize of P5,000 and will be
granted with the P100,000-contract to build the monument. It was a huge sum
during that time therefore many sculptors including some of the best in Europe
joined the contest.
Forty artists submitted their bozetos (scale models) in 1907 which is the deadline.
Only Ten bozetos made it to the finals.
The judges were non-artists and was headed by an American Governor of the
Philippines Frank Smith.
They awarded the P5,000 grand prize to bozeto No. 21 entitled Al Martir de
Bagumbayan designed by the famous Italian sculptor Carlo Nicoli while the jury
gave the second prize to bozeto No. 9 entitled Motto Stella by the Swiss sculptor
Richard Kissling who received a P2,000 cash prize.
As the first prize winner, Carlo Nicoli was supposed to have been awarded the
contract to build the monument of Rizal. However, for some reason the contract
went instead to second prize winner Richard Kissling
Carlo Nicolis Al Martir de
Richard Kisslings Motto
Nicolis design was, of course more beautiful to look at. No one will ever doubt that it was
designed by a master but it also looked very European with all its elaborate designs. Imagining
Manilas Luneta with its grassy fields before, it would have looked totally out of place.
Kisslings design which was perhaps well appreciated by the judges because of its stark
simplicity.
Rizals posture in the bozeto was very heroic, attired in his usual overcoat and holding a book
(represents his novels Noli Me Tngere and El filibusterismo) in his hand, was portrayed as if
looking towards the breaking of dawn after the long troubled night.
The figures beside him are very strong symbols of a struggling nations hope for a better future
through progress and education:
- a mother raising her beloved child

- and the reminiscent figures of two young Filipino boys eagerly reading
Of all the entries, it was the only one that approached the embodiment of the very ideals of Rizal
which were family, education, and enlightenment.
The obelisk is commonly understood as Rizals masonic background while the
three stars stand for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The figures at the back of the monument such as
- leaves and a pot, are said to symbolize the Philippines natural

resources.
On the 16th death anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal on December 30, 1912, before the
completion of the monument, the remains of the national hero was transferred
through a solemn procession from the Ayuntamiento to the Rizal monument.
A year later on December 30, 1913, the monument was unveiled to the public.
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 guarded continuously by the

Philippine Marine Corps Marine Security andEscort group.
THE EXACT LOCATION WHERE RIZAL WAS EXECUTED IS ABOUT 100 METERS
NORTH-NORTHWEST OF THE MONUMENT. LIFE-SIZE DIORAMAS DEPICTING
HIS FINAL MOMENTS CAN BE SEEN ON THE AREA.
Luneta comes from the word lunette which means crescent moon which is the
shape of the park.
It is located next to Manilas Intramuros the historic walled city.

Luneta Park has been renamed to Rizal Park in 1913 to pay tribute to Dr. Jose Rizal,
although many Filipinos still call it today as Luneta or Luneta Park.
The Vatican has an area of 44 hectares compared with Rizal Parks 58 hectares. Rizal
Park or Luneta Park is considered one of the largest urban park in Asia.
Thetallest flagpole in the countryis the 150 feet tall The Independence Flagpole,
located in front of the Rizal Monument in Luneta.
A forty-foot statue of Lapu-Lapu or the Statue of the

Sentinel of Freedom can also be seen at the Teodoro F.
Valencia Circle in Rizal Park. The P15-million brass
statue was a gift by the Korean Freedom League as
appreciation and to honor the memory of freedomloving Filipinos who helped during the Korean War in
the early 1950s.
Kilometer Zero (KM 0), the point of origin for measuring the distance going to
provinces and cities in the country.

The Story of Rizal Monument JR BALIGOD

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Story of Rizal Monument JR BALIGOD

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Story of Rizal Monument JR BALIGOD

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

More than a century ago, some of the worlds leading sculptors participated in an

international contest to design and build it.

as the final resting place of his remains.

Only Ten bozetos made it to the finals.

Philippines Frank Smith.

Carlo Nicolis Al Martir de

Richard Kisslings Motto

through progress and education:

- a mother raising her beloved child

which were family, education, and enlightenment.

The obelisk is commonly understood as Rizals masonic background while the

three stars stand for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

The figures at the back of the monument such as

- leaves and a pot, are said to symbolize the Philippines natural

TO THE MEMORY OF JOS RIZAL, PATRIOT AND MARTYR, EXECUTED ON

The perimeter of the monument is guarded continuously by the

shape of the park.

It is located next to Manilas Intramuros the historic walled city.

although many Filipinos still call it today as Luneta or Luneta Park.

A forty-foot statue of Lapu-Lapu or the Statue of the

You might also like