Tags: Historical Places, Parks and Recreations
By Anna Valmero
QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA— Unknown to many, the towering shrine at the center of the Quezon Memorial Circle houses the remains of former President Manuel L. Quezon and his wife, former First Lady Aurora Aragon Quezon.
Inside the shrine is Quezon’s stone coffin (or the sarcophagus), which can be found next to the remains of his late wife. Aragon’s remains were interred in 2005 inside the shrine, the former first lady’s name was inscribed in a cross.
Quezon, the country’s second president, died of tuberculosis on August 1, 1944 in Saranac Lake in New York and was first buried at the Arlington Cemetery in Virginia, United States. His remains were flown home to the Philippines after two yearsand were re-interred at the Manila North cemetery on August 1, 1946.
The shrine was finished in 1978, a hundred years after Quezon’s birth. A year after his 100th birthday anniversary on August 1979, his remains were exhumed and finally laid to rest in the granite mausoleum, which is the central point of the shrine.
On a sunny day, the sun’s rays shine on the crypt from the oculus or circular opening atop the shrine. Unlike the crypts of late former presidents at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, Quezon’s sarcophagus is one-of-a kind and could be comparable to that of late US president Abraham Lincoln, whose remains are also contained in a stone coffin characterized by draped cloth sculpture.
The monument has interesting features inspired by the life of Quezon. The shrine is 66 meters high, representing the number of years Quezon has lived.
The three-winged angels at the tip of the pylon symbolizes the country’s main islands: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The angels are holding sampaguita garlands, the country’s national flower, and were said to have been sculpted by an Italian artist.
The base is shaped in an equilateral triangular structure that symbolizes birth, life and death, according to the plaque inside the crypt. The Quezon shrine became a National Shrine after a presidential decree during the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos.
According to Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista, Quezon should serve as an inspiration for Filipinos as a man who dreamt and united the Philippines, using one language, and served as model to promote love for country by being a law-abiding citizen.
Mayor Bautista led wreath-laying ceremonies last Friday celebrating Quezon’s 133rd birth anniversary.
Related stories:
Photo exhibit relives historical pride for Quezon City
Spend a a family weekend at the Wildlife Nature Center in Quezon City
A free playground for Quezon City kids
Danish architect to design first Quezon City eco-friendly village
Attractions Beaches and Water Activities Churches and place of worship Churches and Places of Worship Environment Festivals and Fiestas Historical Places Hotels and Resorts Indigenous Culture Malls Museums Natural Wonders Parks and Recreations Travel Concerns and Advisories Travel Tales and Tips Vacation Zoos and Animal Sanctuaries
WP Cumulus Flash tag cloud by Roy Tanck and Luke Morton requires Flash Player 9 or better.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
