Rizal Monument
| Bantayog ni Jose Rizal | |
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| Coordinates | 14°34′54″N 120°58′36″E / 14.581669°N 120.976694°ECoordinates: 14°34′54″N 120°58′36″E / 14.581669°N 120.976694°E |
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| Location | Rizal Park, Manila |
| Designer | Richard Kissling |
| Type | Mausoleum |
| Material | Granite |
| Height | 12.7 metres (42 ft) |
| Beginning date | 1908 |
| Completion date | 1913 |
| Opening date | December 30, 1913 |
| Dedicated to | The memory of José Rizal, patriot and martyr |
The Rizal Monument (original title: Motto Stella, Latin, "guiding star") is a memorial in Rizal Park in Manila, Philippines built to commemorate the executed Filipino nationalist, José Rizal. The monument consists of a standing bronze sculpture of the Rizal, with an obelisk, set on a stone base within which his remains are interred. A plaque on the pedestal's front reads: "To the memory of José 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 and Escort Group, the changing of the guard having become a daily ritual. About 100 m (330 ft) north-northwest of the monument is the exact location where Rizal was executed, marked by life-size dioramas depicting his final moments.
An exact replica of the Rizal Monument can be found in Madrid, Spain at the junction of Avenida de Las Islas Filipinas and Calle Santander.
There is also no official explanation of the meaning of the monument’s details. The monument depicts Rizal in overcoat holding a book, that represent his novels Noli Me Tángere and El filibusterismo. The obelisk is usually taken to mean Rizal’s 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 country’s natural resources. The consensus is that the figures beside Rizal—a mother rearing her child and two young boys reading—signify family and education.
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