Today, I want to talk about one of the most impressive monuments in Manila that honors our great hero, Andres Bonifacio. I’m talking about the Bonifacio Shrine near the Manila City Hall and SM City Manila. Going from Malate to Quiapo, just to your right, it would be hard to miss that one big statue of a man with a bolo. That’s the monument of Filipino revolutionary Andrés Bonifacio, the centerpiece of the park.
The Bonifacio Shrine is a public park and plaza that features a stunning metal relief sculpture of Bonifacio and his fellow Katipuneros. The sculpture was created by the renowned Filipino artist Eduardo Castrillo, who also made the People Power Monument in EDSA and the Zapote Bridge Monument in Cavite. The sculpture was unveiled in 1998, to commemorate the centennial of the Philippine Revolution.
The sculpture depicts the life of Bonifacio from his childhood, to his leadership of the Katipunan, to his tragic death in Maragondon. It shows him wielding a bolo, a machete-like weapon that symbolizes his courage and determination to fight for our freedom. Behind the sculpture, you can see the **Kartilya ng Katipunan**, or the Primer of the Katipunan, which served as the guidebook for the new members of the secret society. The Kartilya contains 14 teachings that emphasize love of country, respect for human rights, and moral values.
The Bonifacio Shrine is not only a tribute to our hero, but also a reminder of our history and identity as Filipinos. It is a place where we can learn from the past, appreciate the present, and hope for the future. It is also a place where we can enjoy the beauty of nature, as the park has been renovated with more plants, grass, and a musical dancing fountain that lights up at night.
The Bonifacio Shrine is just walking distance from the Manila City Hall, and it is open to the public for free. You can also check out other nearby attractions like the Mehan Garden, Liwasang Bonifacio, and Manila Post Office.
It’s just a while back before the monument has transformed into one eye-catching structure. And that was after Manila Mayor Isko Moreno ordered a clean-up drive of the park. For so many years, the site has been an informal public toilet that anyone who passed by would get a share of that awful smell.
Today, the park is one of Manila’s most ideal places to hung around or to take selfies – 24/7. With SM City Manila just nearby, the place can get crowded any time of the day. So, if you want to get really nice photos of the monument – minus all those photobombs – be there between 1 PM and 4 PM. During these times, the sun is at its peak and not the majority of us crave to have that sun-tanned skin, right? 🙂 🙂
I hope you enjoyed this blog post about the Bonifacio Shrine. If you did, please like, share, and comment below. Maraming salamat po!
