Bantayog ni Bonifacio | |
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| Location | Caloocan,Metro Manila,Philippines |
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| Coordinates | 14°39′25″N120°59′02″E / 14.65708°N 120.98397°E /14.65708; 120.98397 |
| Designer | Guillermo Tolentino |
| Height | 13.7 m (45 ft) |
| Beginning date | November 30, 1929 |
| Opening date | November 30, 1933 |
| Dedicated to | The memory ofAndrés Bonifacio, Supremo of theKatipunan |
| Official name | Bonifacio National Monument |
| Designated | November 30, 2009; 15 years ago (2009-11-30) |
| Region | National Capital Region |
National Historical Landmarks | |
| Official name | Bonifacio National Monument |
| Type | Structure, Monument |
| Designated | August 14, 2002; 22 years ago (2002-08-14) |
| Region | National Capital Region |
| Legal basis | Resolution No. 9, s. 2002 |
| Marker | 2009 |
TheAndrés Bonifacio Monument, commonly known simply asBonifacio Monument orMonumento, is a memorialmonument inCaloocan,Philippines, which was designed by National ArtistGuillermo Tolentino to commemorate the Philippine revolutionaryAndrés Bonifacio, the founder and Supremo of theKatipunan, who fought for independence fromcolonial rule by Spain.[1]
The monument, 13.7 meters (45 ft) in height, contains symbolic images and other features known as the "Cry of Balintawak". It is acclaimed as one of the best monuments in the world.[2][3]
The monument is located in South Caloocan at a roundabout crossing of four roads, namelyEpifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), theMacArthur Highway, theSamson Road, andRizal Avenue Extension (Avenida Rizal), the old road leading to Manila.[2]
The Bonifacio Monument recalls the Philippine Revolution spearheaded by Andrés Bonifacio, who had urged his men to rise against the colonial rule ofSpain. His call to take arms against the Spanish rule was given on August 23, 1896, widely known as the "Cry of Pugad Lawin".[4][2]
The cornerstone was formally laid byAurora Quezon, the wife of Filipino Senate President and futurePresidentManuel L. Quezon, on November 30, 1929, Bonifacio's 66th birth anniversary. The monument, which was created under the orders of AmericanGovernor-GeneralFrank Murphy, was inaugurated exactly four years later on November 30, 1933. The contract for its construction was reportedly worth₱125,000 (equivalent to ₱38,986,072 in 2021). It was inaugurated by House SpeakerQuintín Paredes, with much fanfare in a colourful function led by three women fromLuzon (of the Women's College),Visayas (of the Institute of Women), andMindanao (of the CentroEscolar de Señoritas/Center for Women) with other women representing the eight provinces ofManila,Cavite,Batangas,Bulacan,Pampanga,Tarlac,Nueva Ecija, andLaguna which had participated in therevolution of 1896.[2]
On November 30, 2013, the sesquicentennial of Bonifacio's birth and the 80th anniversary of the monument's unveiling was celebrated.[2]
The Bonifacio Monument, which was sculpted by Guillermo Tolentino in 1933, is an obelisk that rises to a height of 13.7 meters (45 ft); the obelisk is made up of five parts representing five aspects of the society, "Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan" (transl. Highest and Most Venerable Association of the Sons of the Nation). It is crowned by a figure with wings representing triumph. Below the vertical pylon, 20 figures cast in bronze have been molded over an octagonally shaped plinth, plus one angel of peace at the top. The octagon represents the eight provinces that fought against Spain and also the eight rays of the Katipunan flag. The plinth is raised in three steps, with each representing the three centuries of Spanish rule. These figures are a representation of the people of the Philippines, who faced inequality, agony and suppression under colonial rule, which eventually ended in an armed revolution in 1896. The main central image of the monument holds abolo, a machete in the right hand, and a gun in the other hand. At the back of the central figure, a flag ofKatipunan in an unfurled state is depicted. A remarkable feature of the molded images of the human figures is the classic style, with detailing marked by realistic expressions reflecting the revolutionary spirit with an "upright head and body" and arms spread on the sides. The central obelisk is surrounded by pools of water.[2][5]
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