Quezon Memorial Shrine

This article is about the monument and national shrine. For the park, see Quezon Memorial Circle.
Quezon Memorial Shrine
Pambansang Pang-alaalang Dambana ni Quezon
Coordinates 14°39′02.9″N 121°02′53.5″E / 14.650806°N 121.048194°E / 14.650806; 121.048194Coordinates: 14°39′02.9″N 121°02′53.5″E / 14.650806°N 121.048194°E / 14.650806; 121.048194
Location Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City
Designer Federico Ilustre
Type Mausoleum, Museum
Height 66 meters (217 ft)
Beginning date 1952
Completion date 1978
Dedicated to Manuel Quezon, 1st President of the Philippine Commonwealth
(Officially the 2nd President of the Philippines overall)

The Quezon Memorial Shrine (Filipino:Pambansang Pang-alaalang Dambana ni Quezon,[1] lit. National Memorial Shrine of Quezon) is a monument and national shrine dedicated to former Philippine President Manuel Quezon located within the grounds of Quezon Memorial Circle. It also houses a museum at its base.

History

The Quezon Memorial Committee which was tasked to organize a nationwide fund-raising campaign for the building of a monument dedicated to former President Manuel Quezon, was established by the virtue of Executive Order, No. 79 signed by then President Sergio Osmeña on December 17, 1945.[2] Then President Elpidio Quirino proposed the relocation of the monument away from its original planned site but such plans did not pushed through.[3] The Bureau of Public Works commenced the construction of the monument in 1952.[1]

The monument was placed under the jurisdiction of the National Historical Institute through Presidential Decree No.1 issued by then President Ferdinand Marcos on September 24, 1972.[1][4]

On January 14, 1974, the monument was formally designated as a national shrine and was inaugurated in August 19, 1978. The remains of former President Manuel Quezon was transferred to the Quezon Memorial Shrine from the Manila North Cemetery on August 1, 1979.[1] The remains of Aurora Aragon Quezon, was likewise transferred to the shrine on April 28, 2005.[5]

Architecture and design

The Quezon Memorial Shrine was designed by Federico Ilustre.[1] The 66 meters (217 ft) monument is composed of three connected pylons and is located at the center of the Quezon Memorial Circle, a major park in Quezon City.[6] An observation deck is also present at the top of the structure which has a capacity of 60 people which can provide a panoramic view of the city. A spiral staircase connects the deck to the bottom of the structure.[7] The observation deck is currently not open to the public.

The columns are adorned with three grieving bowed angels holding sampaguita (Jasminum sambac) wreaths with each of them representing the three major island groups of the Philippines namely, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.[6] Each of the angels were given a traditional clothing representing one of the three island group. The angel figures were made by Italian sculptor Francesco Riccardo Monti.[8]

Under the watch of former Quezon City Mayor Tomas Morato, the monument was beautified by Amberti, an Italian architect hired by Morato with Carrara marble. Morato's successors replaced the Italian marbles with locally sourced marble.[3]

Museum

Sarcophagus housing the remains of President Quezon

At the base of the Quezon Memorial Shrine is the Museo ni Manuel L. Quezon (lit. Museum of Manuel L. Quezon), a museum that has a collection of relics and memorabilia related to former President Manuel Quezon, as well as a mausoleum which houses the interred remains of Quezon and his wife Aurora Aragon Quezon.[6] The museum underwent a renovation by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and was reopened in August 19, 2015.[9]

Among the other features of the museum is a hologram of Quezon delivering his inaugural speech as President and interactive booths and terminals which edifies visitors regarding the Commonwealth era. The museum also has audio-visual room where a short documentary on Quezon and the museum was screened, a dedicated gallery to Quezon's wife, Aurora and a replica of Manuel Quezon's Presidential office.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Pambansang Pang-alaalang Dambana ni Quezon (Marker outside monument) (in Filipino). Near on front of the museum entrance of Quezon Memorial Shrine: National Historical Commission of the Philippines. 2015.
  2. ↑ "Executive Order No. 79, s. 1945". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Manila : Malacañang Records Office: Office of the President of the Philippines. 17 December 1945. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  3. 1 2 Morato, Manuel (24 February 2000). "Keep Circle as a park". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "Presidential Decree No. 1, s. 1972". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Manila : Malacañang Records Office: Office of the President of the Philippines. 24 September 1972. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  5. ↑ "Quezon, wife 'reunited' after 27 years". The Manila Bulletin. 29 April 2005.
  6. 1 2 3 "Quezon Memorial Shrine - Introduction". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  7. ↑ Lico, Gerard (2008). Arkitekturang Filipino: A History of Architecture and Urbanism in the Philippines. Quezon City: The University of the Philippines Press. p. 398. ISBN 978-971-542-579-7.
  8. ↑ al.], Chris Rowthorn ; Greg Bloom ; Michael Day ... [et (2006). Philippines (9th ed.). Paris: Lonely planet. p. 85. ISBN 9781741042894.
  9. 1 2 "The NHCP will Open the Modernized Museo ni Manuel Quezon at the Quezon Memorial Shrine". National Historical Commission of the Philippines. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
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