Melo Villareal
Rizal Park and Shrine in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte
Dapitan City, Philippines – You probably know the word “Dapitan” as a place in Sampaloc, Manila, unless you paid attention to your history class in your secondary education. If you’re still not familiar, Dapitan City is the land where the Philippines National Hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, spent his four years of exile.
The site where Dr. Jose Rizal Landed
Dapitan City is called “The Shrine City of the Philippines” and is located in the Zamboanga del Norte region. Although this place is not among the Philippines’ top tourist destinations, it is rich in historical treasures and natural attractions. Dapitan City is also where you can find Dakak Park and Beach Resort – one of the top beach resorts in the Philippines.
There is no way a person on a tour of Dapitan City will skip the famous historical monument, “Rizal Shrine,” located in the city. This Shrine is built in honor of the Philippine national hero, “Dr. Jose Rizal,” who was exiled for the patriotic deeds he fought for the country.
The José Rizal Memorial Protected Landscape, popularly known as Rizal Shrine, is 2 kilometers away from Dapitan City Plaza and is visited by many tourists visiting Zamboanga del Norte. The place comprises 16 hectares of land in Barangay Talisay, which the national hero purchased on July 17, 1892, during the exile period, and is now a national park.
Structures inside “Rizal Shrine”
The park is a cool, shady place surrounded by century-old trees, some of which are even older than Dr. Jose Rizal himself. Visitors can spot the replicas of diverse original structures used by Dr. Jose Rizal in this park. The entire atmosphere inside this park is invigorating. The park is well-maintained by a Rizalista sect. This is an ideal place for nature lovers, wherein the original beauty of nature is well preserved. Here are some structures inside “The Rizal Shrine in Dapitan City,” which are worth seeing:
- Mi Retiro Rock – This means “My Retreat Rock.” A heart-shaped rock resting in a pond where the national hero had scribbled beautiful words from his famous poem Mi Retiro. It is believed that Dr. Jose Rizal had spent time watching sunsets in this rocky place.
- Casa Cuadrada is a national hero’s home that is reconstructed naturally, using original lights and natural materials.
- Aqueduct – A water reservoir system constructed with bamboo tubes connecting to the kitchen. This water system was built by Rizal in 1895 to serve as the primary source of water for farming.
- Casa Redonda – Casa Redonda is an octagonal dwelling used as a dormitory by some of Rizal’s pupils. Later, this was converted into a clinic.
- Casa Redonda Pequena – It would be interesting for visitors to see this hexagonal structure, which served as the main chicken house during those periods.
- Casitas de Salud – Originally, two main structures used as tea houses were included in this. Later, this was transformed into a health clinic serving patients from different municipalities.
- Rizaliana is a modern building that exhibits the Rizalian books, scripts, and other periodicals. A small portion of the same building also serves as the Rizal Shrine Curator’s office.
- The Casa Residencia – A rectangular house where Dr. Jose Rizal lived during his days of exile. This house features a bedroom, veranda, and main room, accessible from side to side via a bridge.
A visit to this place will certainly help people to understand the depth of Rizal’s patriotism and noble service towards the country.
Entrance Fee
Visiting the Shrine is free of charge, but you can help the park administrators by maintaining the place’s cleanliness. Plain and simple… just put your trash in the designated garbage bin.:)
How to get there
The protected landscape and memorial is located some 9 kilometers (5.6 mi) north of the Dipolog Airport. It is accessible via the Dipolog–Oroquieta National Road and Jose Rizal Avenue in Dapitan, which also leads to the Dakak Park and Beach Resort in Taguilon.
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Also read: Dipolog And Dapitan: Mindanao’s ‘Twin Cities’ Offer Distinct Tourism Tandem.
