“RIZAL’S MONUMENTS AROUND THE WORLD”By: Sheila Mae L. Combalecer INTRODUCTION MANILA, Philippines’ National hero Dr. Jose Rizal is recognized in many parts of the world for his intelligence and heroism, earning him at least 10 Rizal monuments in four continents around the world, Senator Richard Gordon said Friday. At the commemoration of Rizal’s 148th birthday, the senator paid tribute to the national hero. Jose Rizal showed us that even if we were colonized by foreign nations, we can refuse to be bound by them, by having a vision and strengthening our values. He showed that Filipinos could excel and compete with the best, he said in a statement. INTRODUCTION Jose Rizal was the first Filipino to break the walls in his mind, walls which were built by the foreign invaders. Other countries also recognize his heroism and have chosen to erect monuments in his honor,? he added. Gordon pointed out that Filipinos should be proud that other nations recognize that Rizal?s short but meaningful life is an ideal model which shows that a person can achieve far beyond what he may seem to reach if only he has a vision and strives hard to achieve it. 000. THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SAID A 2. IT WAS THROUGH THE INITIATIVE OF A GROUP OF FILIPINO-AUSTRALIANS AND THEIR FRIENDS WHO PETITIONED THE CITY COUNCIL OF CAMPBELLTOWN TO NAME IT RIZAL PARK. AUSTRALIA AS A FITTING TRIBUTE TO RIZAL’S HEROISM.2HECTARE PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF CAMPBELLTOWN. (EARLIER.A RIZAL PARK IN NEW SOUTH WALES. AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER KEVIN RUDD GAVE A$120.) . NEW SOUTH WALES WILL BE DEVELOPED TO BECOME THE RIZAL PARK IN AUSTRALIA.000 FOR THE INITIAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE PARK WHILE THE CAMPBELLTOWN CITY COUNCIL WILL PROVIDE ANOTHER A$140. Mayor Charles Royer (b. LOCATED ON 12TH AVENUE ON BEACON HILL a site of Dr. 1939) and Philippine Consul General Ernesto A. The 8. 1981.4-acre park has a commanding view of the Seattle waterfront and Puget Sound . Querubin dedicated the park and the bridge named for the Philippine national hero on June 7.SEATTLE WASHINGTON. Jose Rizal Park is a favorite gathering and picnic spot for members of the Filipino community. Denoga in Kauai (May 1997).MONUMENT IN HAWAII This was a project of the Kauai Filipino Community Council with about twelve members. The picture was taken by Jocelyn S. . Jose Rizal monument located along Lake Shore Drive and Marine Drive between Lawrence and Wilson Avenue in front of Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago came about through the courtesy of the Philippine Government during the commemoration of the Centennial of Philippine Independence in 1998. The project was the initiative and efforts of the Order of the Knights of Rizal and the Filipino-American community organizations. Jose Rizal monument was held on June 19. The unveiling of Dr. ILLINOIS The Dr. A plaque recognizing the project’s major benefactors was installed and displayed in nearby Margate Park Fieldhouse . 1999.THIS IS THE MONUMENT IN CHICAGO. . Located in the suburb of Invermay. the facility is the first Park in Australia named after Dr. on Sunday. Ballarat. 12 December 1999.RIZAL PARK IN AUSTRALIA Rizal Park was inaugurated in the City of Ballarat. State of Victoria. Jose Rizal. 1898. Ildefonso Alegre and Lt. . further magnifying its historical and cultural significance. Lt. Col. It was believed that the foundation was made of mortars and boulders from the Old Spanish Jail where many Filipino patriots died. Antonio Sanz of the Philippine Revolutionary Army initiated the construction which was eventually inaugurated on December 20. This monument was erected in 1898 in honor of the Philippine National Hero and consists of a three-tiered stone pylon with a square base supporting a triangle in two stages. Col.OLDEST MONUMENT OF RIZAL IN CAMARINES NORTE The first Jose Rizal monument that was ever built was built in Daet which stands at the corner of Magallanes and Justo Lukban streets which faces the Daet Municipal Hall. the last one tapering to a point. The monument is located in the middle of the 6. Laguna. stands in front of the new City hall of Calamba. Tallest Jose Rizal Statue in the World.7 hectare field which also serves as a sports venue for football tournaments. A 22-foot (6. Located at Calamba City. . Rizal's hometown.9 m) bronze statue of Jose Rizal. Jose Rizal’s statue was inaugurated on his 150th birthday on June 19. ahich was created by Jonas Roces. 2011. THE RIZAL PARK AT THE BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY It is located at the main campus in Malolos. . Rizal. Jose P. Bulacan to honor our National hero. CHINA Rizal's statue in Jinjiang. He was once a resident of ZhangGuo province and a citizen of China. to recognize Rizal's Chinese ancestral roots. an exact replica of the monument of Jose Rizal at the Luneta Park was built in the heart of the southern Chinese city of Jinjiang. taller than the 12-meter high Rizal statue in Luneta The great-great grandfather of Jose Rizal was Chinese trader Cua Yi Lam. baptized Domingo Lamco in the Philippines in 1697. FUJIAN. The monument made of the world-famous Jinjiang granite stones. In 2002. soon also to be the site of a Rizal library and museum. It is built on a park of five hectares.JINJIANG. China is enshrined in a 5-hectare park built and named in his honor. Fujian.61 meters high. . stands 18. The monument is made of Jinjiang granite stones and is about six meters taller than the 12-meter monument in Manila. . NEW JERSEY This monument was inspired by the many Filipino-Americans living in the immediate area. all which is a part of Cooper River Park. This spot is called the Rizal Memorial Park which is situated in Memorial Grove.CHERRY HILL. run by Camden County Parks. Jose Rizal three years later. Rizal was a Filipino patriot who. He was executed as a result of being accused of complicity in the Filipino insurrection of 1896. and was named after Dr. Jose Rizal Park is a favorite gathering and picnic spot for members of the Filipino community.SEATTLE. during his short life. engineering and a large number of other disciplines. The meadow slope site was transferred to the parks Department in 1971. . made lasting contributions to medicine. The park was formally dedicated in 1979. WASHINGTON The site of Dr. political and social reform. Jose P.” .JOSE RIZAL MONUMENT IN JAPAN (HIBIYA PARK) "The bust of Dr. Rizal has been added to this historical marker on the occasion of the CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE 1898-1998. There is a bust of Rizal by a local artist in the old Town Hall. CZECH REPUBLIC Litomerice has a sister-city agreement with Calamba.RIZAL PARK IN LITOMERICE. but there is no marker in the building that used to be the Hotel Krebs where Rizal and Maximo Viola stayed. There is a small Rizal Park behind the Town Hall. We were informed that the original guest book that Rizal signed was not in town but kept in the archives outside town. and there are busts of Rizal all over the Town Hall and the Mayor’s Office. . and so Rizal figures prominently in town. LA MOLINA IN LIMA. Jose Rizal was designed by Czech sculptor Hanstroff and is mounted atop a monument-type pedestal base where the four inaugural plaque markers are mounted on each quadrilateral side. ―Dr. Linguistica y Poeta. Escritor. The establishment of Rizal Park here was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Peru and the municipality of La Molina. Reformador Political. . Nacionalista. 1861-1896. Rizal. 2008 led by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Inscribed on one marker are the words. The bronze bust of Dr. Jose P. PERU This was unveil last November 22.‖ Inscribed on another marker are the formal inaugural rites led by President Arroyo and witnessed by Prada. Héroe Nacional de Filipinas. MEXICO CITY. MEXICO In Mexico. the DFA said Philippine Chargé d'Affaires Angelo Amonoy. . Mexico City. Embassy personnel and members of the Filipino community conducted solemn but fitting commemorative rites with the theme "Rizal: Haligi ng Bayan" at the Rizal Monument in Paseo de la Reforma. SPAIN .MADRID. . 1996 along the Avenida de Las Islas Filipinas in Madrid to commemorate the 100th year of hi death.RIZAL’S MONUMENT IN MADRID SPAIN Rizal’s monument was inaugurated December 5. . The inauguration was part of the celebrations marking the centennial of the Philippine Independence from Spain. The statue was made by the late Filipino sculptor Florante ―Boy‖ Caedo. MI ULTIMO ADIOS. SPAIN .MADRID. To fund the project. 243. The act stipulated the allocation of land in the Luneta to build the memorial. participated. It was a reasonable period of time to conceptualize and design a scale model for the future Rizal national monument. near where Rizal fell when he was executed by the Spaniards on December 30. a Rizal committee was set up to raise funds from public solicitations. when the committee gathered enough funds. including some of the best in Europe. with the year 1907 as the deadline of submission. The committee— whose members included Paciano Rizal (Rizal’s brother). as well as the P100. The grand prize winner would be awarded a cash prize of P5.000. It also specified that the monument bear the statue of Rizal. In 1905. Local and foreign sculptors were invited to participate. as well as serve as the final resting place of his remains. dated September 28. the Rizal monument was approved by no less than United States President Theodore Roosevelt.000-contract to build the monument. and Tagalog novelist Pascual Poblete–was also tasked to hold a design contest for the future monument. it announced the art competition. 1901.THE STORY OF THE RIZAL MONUMENT Built by virtue of the United States Philippine Commission Act No. It was a huge sum during that time and thus many sculptors. 1896. . ‖ The bozetos were exhibited in the Marble Hall of the Ayuntamiento in Intramuros. The judges. . ―Eripitur Persona Manet Res‖. Kissling received a P2. ―F. Some of the bozetos were titled ―Noli Me Tangere‖ (Rizal’s first novel). After thorough deliberation. Most were meticulously made in the Art Nouveau style that was very popular at that time. ten bozetos made it to the finals. all nonartists. ―1906‖. Extant photographs of the exhibit revealed the superior qualities of the finalists. ―Victoria‖.000-grand prize to bozeto No. From these forty. were headed by then American Governor of the Philippines Frank Smith. and ―Maria Clara. Forty artists submitted their bozetos (scale models) in 1907.000 cash prize. 9 entitled ―Motto Stella‖ by the Swiss sculptor Richard Kissling. They awarded the P5.F‖. ―Motto Stella‖ (Guiding Star). the jury reached a decision. The jury gave the second prize to bozeto No. Italy. ―Al Martir de Bagumbayan‖. 21 entitled ―Al Martir de Bagumbayan‖ designed by the famous Italian sculptor Carlo Nicoli of Carrara. BOZETO FINALISTS . AL MARTIR DE BAGUMBAYAN BY CARLO NICOLI . MOTTO STELLA BY RICHARD KISSLING . As the first prize winner. must be used. for his bozeto. for some reason the contract went instead to second-prize winner Richard Kissling. Whatever the case. Carlo Nicoli was supposed to have been awarded the contract to build the monument in the Luneta. the contract stipulated that all materials would be from local sources. Richard Kissling was eventually awarded the contract. Or that Nicoli was not able to come to the signing of the contract.000-peso bond as guarantee to finish the monument. Nicoli’s bozeto required installations of intricate parts that were lacking in the Philippines and needed to be imported from Italy. and his ―Motto Stella‖ bozeto was the one upon which construction was started in 1908. Nicoli also specified that in order to construct the bozeto faithfully. Of course. Indeed.000 budget to build the monument. . There was also a theory that Nicoli backed out of the contract because he failed to put up the P20. However. Some speculated that Nicoli’s intricate design would cost so much more than the P100. Carara marble (the famed marble that was favored by Italian sculptors like Michaelangelo and Bernini). Indeed. A newspaper caricature poked fun at its design. he might not even have known of the suggestion and even if he did. In comparison with Nicoli’s grand prize-winning bozeto. Indeed the suggestion was quickly rejected by the jury. Meanwhile the work on the monument was already in progress. In fairness to Hidalgo. some of the local press criticized Kissling’s model. Some unscrupulous people even put forward the ridiculous suggestion that the famous Filipino painter Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo should inspect and modify the design. and almost lacks the grandeur that befits the greatest hero of the land. when news of the change of model spread. would most likely have rejected the idea. . Kissling’s model was more streamlined. The figure of Rizal was cast in bronze while the obelisk and the base were sculpted from unpolished granite. in my opinion. the change in the design was. aesthetically speaking. Nicoli’s design was. It would have been perfect in a city such as Rome or Vienna. was depicted as if looking towards the breaking of dawn after the long troubled night. The figures beside him are very strong symbols of a struggling nation’s hope for a better future through progress and education—a mother rearing her beloved child. and the evocative figures of two young Filipino boys ardently reading. highly propitious. But in Manila’s Luneta—with its then grassy fields– it would have looked totally out of place. more beautiful to look at. education. looking at the extant photographs of the two bozetos now. But it also looked very European with all its elaborate designs. Rizal’s posture in the bozeto was subtle but heroic. The hero. . as indeed Nicoli was. and enlightenment. The strength of Kissling’s design—which was perhaps well appreciated by the jury who adjudged it second prize—was its stark simplicity. In retrospect. of course. Of all the entries. No one will ever doubt that it was designed by a master. attired in his usual overcoat and holding a book in his hand. it was the only one that approached the embodiment of the very ideals of Rizal: family. 1913. Our forefathers—our beloved Rizal among them– were not so fortunate to see the light of dawn emerge from the darkness. Jose Rizal on December 30. the monument was unveiled to the public. as the monument was nearing completion. On the sixteenth death anniversary of Dr. A year later. the remains of the national hero was transferred through a solemn procession from the Ayuntamiento to the Rizal monument. on December 30.Every time I visit the Rizal monument. 1912. I always feel proud and fortunate to be a Filipino. . having been born a free man because of Rizal’s martyrdom. THE RIZAL MONUMENT IN LUNETA PARK TODAY .