Category Archives: Monuments and Shrines

Diocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy (Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte)

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Diocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy

We still had extra time for some sightseeing prior to our Cebu Pacific flight back to Manila so, on our drive to Dipolog Airport from Sindangan, we made a short stopover at the Diocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy.  Before we drove up the hill, we already espied the Statue of the Virgin Mary along the highway.

Entering the chapel

The interior of the chapel

Stairs lead to the foot of the Statue of the Virgin Mary, located on another mountain below the Divine Mercy Shrine, while another flight of stairs lead directly to the Divine Mercy Shrine.  An arch along the highway marked the entrance to the shrine. The shrine, administered by Rev. Fr. Danilo Alpuerto, was declared as one of the pilgrim spot for the 2015-2016 Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Statue of the Virgin Mary

The shrine has a whitewashed chapel with the words “Jesus I Trust in You,” “Jesus Misalig Ako Kanimo” (Cebuano translation) and “Jesu Ufam Tobie” (Polish translation) painted into the upper façade. To the left of the chapel is a tower with a square base and octagonal upper storeys with a cross on top of the pointed roof.

The tower on the chapel’s left

Inside the chapel are walls of clear glass panels, which afford a scenic view of the ocean, while above them are stained glass windows. On the flanks of the chapel are outdoor shrines, with boxes for petitions or prayers, dedicated to the Divine Mercy and Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska, Polish nun who inspired the Roman Catholic devotion to the Divine Mercy and earned her the title of “Secretary of Divine Mercy.” There is also a statue of the St. Michael the Archangel and the Virgin Mary on a boat.

Outdoor shrine dedicated to Sister Faustina Kowalska

Outdoor shrine dedicated to the Divine Mercy

A flight of stairs lead to the chapel’s roof deck with railings where the huge statue of the Divine Mercy is located.

Statue of the Divine Mercy

The deck has a panoramic view of the expanse of mountains at the rear and the verdant lowlands and blue ocean in front.

Panoramic view of the verdant lowlands and ocean

There’s also a “Healing Walk,” leading down from the shrine, where you are required to observe silence and remove your footwear to enter.  A sign quotes Exodus 3:5 – “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

The Healing Walk

Along the way are rows of statues of 30+ saints and the Gethsemane Garden with its statue of a kneeling Jesus Christ.

Alcove with statues of saints

Also within the shrine is a candle gallery, the shrine office, a souvenir shop and public toilets. 

Statue of a kneeling Jesus Christ at the Gethsemane Garden

Diocesan Divine Mercy Shrine: Siari Hills, Brgy. Siari, Regional Highway Dipolog – Sindangan, Bayan ng Sindangan, 7112 Zamboanga del Norte. Admission is free.  There is a dress code in the shrine.  No wearing of short pants (as well as long pants for females) and sleeveless shirts or blouses.

How to Get There: Buses and vans going to Ipil and Zamboanga City from Dipolog, and vice versa, pass by the Regional Highway. Under the shrine’s entrance arch are habal-habal drivers who charge P20-50 for a one way trip to the Shrine.

Rizal Park and Shrine (Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte)

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Rizal Park and Shrine

The highlight of our visit to Dapitan City was our tour of Rizal Park and Shrine (also known as the  José Rizal Memorial Protected Landscape), a protected landscape and memorial to the Philippines‘ national hero which preserves the farm site in barrio Talisay where José Rizal was exiled from 1892-1896 (4 years, 13 days and a few hours) after being accused by the Spanish colonial authorities of sedition and plotting the Philippine revolution in Manila.  Occupying a hilly peninsula facing the Dapitan Bay, it is located in the seaside barangay of Talisay, about a kilometer northwest from Dapitan city proper.

EGI president Eulalio “Loy” Ganzon, Ms. Mamel Yap and my wife Grace entering the shrine

After his stay at the Casa Real, Rizal was transferred to Talisay, staying in a 24-hectare estate in the seaside barangay Talisay, bordering on Dapitan Bay, which he acquired by purchase.  In August 1892, two months after arriving in Dapitan, Rizal together with Gov. Carnicero and Francisco Equilor (a Spaniard living in Dipolog), luckily won the second prize of PhP20,000, via a lotto ticket with the permutation 9736, of the government-owned Reales Loterías Españolas de Filipinas (English: Royal Spanish Lottery of the Philippines).

Touring the grounds of the shrine

Rizal’s share was PhP6,200 and he gave PhP2,000 to his father and PhP200 to Jose Ma. Basa, his friend in Hong Kong. His share also financially enabled him to buy (for PHp4,000), on July 17, 1892, the Talisay Estate, a 10-hectare piece of land, from Lucia Pagbangon, enlarging his property to 70 hectares.

Map of shrine

In March 1893, Rizal transferred to this place. Later on, his mother Doña Teodora Alonso, his sisters Narcisa, Maria and Trinidad, and nephews Teodosio, Estanislao, Mauricio and Prudencio from Calamba, Laguna came and lived with him in Talisay until 1896. Pio Valenzuela also visited Rizal here, confiding to him about their planned armed revolution and the group’s offer to help Rizal flee Dapitan.

An array of Masonic structures and symbols

On this land he built three houses and decided to be a farmer, clearing a part of the forest and planting a large number of fruit trees (mangoes, lanzones, guyabano, nangka, macopa, langka, santol, mangosteen, batuno, etc.), 6,000 hemp plants, 1,000 coconut trees, coffee and cacao.

Here, he established a hospital and a school for bright boys (beginning with 3 pupils, it increased to 16 and eventually 21, 16 of which did not pay tuition), collected botanical and zoological specimens (the Draco rizali, a flying dragon; Apogonia rizali, a small beetle and the Rhacophorus rizali, a rare frog, were named after him) for some European museums (especially the Dresden Museum).

He also gathered 346 shells of 203 species, created sculptures from clay (Oyang Dapitana and Mother’s Revenge), embarked in the business of buying and selling abaca and copra, drained the marshes to get rid of malaria that was infesting Dapitan, and wrote some of his poems, articles and scientific treatises, as well as letters to his family and friends.

The Casa Residencia with the comfort room at the rear

He also learned, as well as grammatically analyzed and compared, the Subanen, Bisaya and Melayu languages, adding to the 22 languages he already knew (Tagalog, Ilokano, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Dutch, Spanish, Catalan, Latin, Italian Greek, Chinese, English, Japanese, French , Portuguese, German, Swedish, Arabic and Russian).

It was also here that he fell in love with the 18 year old Josephine Bracken (her parents James Bracken and Elizabeth Jane MacBride were both Irish in citizenship), adopted daughter of George (who adopted Josephine after her mother died of childbirth), one of Rizal’s patients.  Rizal wrote the poem A Josefina for Josephine.

El Canto del Viajero (“Song of a Traveler”) – a poem by Dr. Jose Rizal written on a pathway. Rizal wrote it upon receiving the acceptance of his offer to go to Europe then to Cuba (then under a revolution) to help in the curing of patients suffering from a raging yellow fever epidemic.

His exile here ended when he departed, on the steamer Espana, for Manila, and eventually Cuba, on July 31, 1896. On the day of his departure, accompanied by Josephine, Narcisa, Angelica (Narcisa’s daughter), his three nephews and six pupils, a marching band solemnly played Frederic Chopin’s dolorous Marche funèbre as Dapitanons turned out en masse to see him off.

Rizal the Traveler (Julie Lluch)

On January 15, 1897, after Rizal’s execution on December 30, 1896, Rizal’s properties in Dapitan were confiscated.  Don Cosme Borromeo, a good friend of Rizal, was appointed custodian of the confiscated property.  After the end of Spanish rule, the Talisay hacienda and home were neglected.  However, in 1913, the place was converted into a public park to the memory of Rizal.  It was reconstructed during the term of Zamboanga Gov. Jose Aseniero (1925 to 1928), one of Rizal’s brightest pupils.

On September 3, 1940, Commonwealth President Manuel Luis Quezon, through Proclamation No. 616, reserved about 10 hectares (25 acres) of the land in Talisay and turned it into Rizal National Park.  On June 19, 1965, by virtue of Republic Act No. 4368, the administration of this shrine was turned over to the National Historical Commission (later National Historical Institute on September 24, 1972) from the National Heroes Commission.

On January 24, 1973, through Presidential Decree No. 105, the Rizal Shrine was then declared by then president Ferdinand E. Marcos as one of the National Shrines. On April 23, 2000, it was enlarged to its present size of 439 hectares (1,080 acres), with a buffer zone of 15 hectares (37 acres) and was declared, through Proclamation No. 279, as a protected landscape under the National Integrated Protected Areas System.

The park has a collection of five reconstructed houses of bamboo and nipa, originally built by José Rizal, as well as other auxiliary structures, all in their original location.

Casa Residencia

Casa Residencia, the faithfully reconstructed (in 1960) main house of Rizal, is the biggest structure in the place.  Rectangular in shape, it is made of bamboo, wood, nipa and palma brava leaves and is located at the foot of a verdant hill studded with baluno (Mangifera caesia) and bitaong (Callophylum inophylum) trees.

The house had three verandas  (front and sides) with views of the Dapitan Bay, a main room (8 sq. yards), a lone bedroom (with a replica of Rizal’s bed made of narra with intricate carvings) and a wooden staircase leading to the main house.

Manikin of Josephine Bracken seated at the sala (living room)

Hanging on the walls are framed photos of Rizal’s relatives, friends (including Fernando Blumentritt) and acquaintances as well as pictures of relics he or his relatives owned and used (including a hankerchief and a pin cushion of his sister, Saturnina). A comfort room, at the rear, is accessible by a bridge.

A side veranda

Jose and Josephine Bracken lived as husband and wife.  Jose’s mother, sisters Maria, Trinidad and Narcisa, and niece Angelica also stayed here during their visits and Jose asked his family to accept her as one of their own.

Cocina (outdoor kitchen)

The Cocina (outdoor kitchen), located to the left and a little lower than the main house, is about 14 ft. by 10 ft. and its walls are open from the waist up. With thatched roofing and open walls for ventilation, it features a traditional banggerahan (scullery) and kalan (firewood-fueled clay stove).

Casa Cuadrada

Casa Cuadrada (Square House), at the base of the hill, towards Rizal’s clinic, is about 14 by 14 ft. and doubled as a secondary dormitory for Rizal’s students.

Interior of Casa Cuadrada

The area underneath the hut served as vocational workshop where Rizal taught his students (2 – 4 PM) carpentry, Math, English, and Spanish. In turn, during recess, his students helped him with farming, feeding the chickens, building fires to drive away insects, pruning fruit trees and manuring the soil. Outside class hours, students had gymnastics, boxing, wrestling, stone- throwing, swimming, arnis and boating.

The octagonal Casa Redonda

The Casa Redonda, an octagonal stilt house which served as the pupil’s quarters, was later converted to a clinic where Rizal operated on George Taufer, Josephine Bracken’s foster father.

It was also here where he removed his mother’s cataracts. The house is 16 ft. wide, 16 ft. long and 7 ft. high.

Casa Redonda Pequena

The hexagonal Casa Redonda Pequaña, on the right of the main house, served as a chicken house that can accommodate a few dozen chickens.

Casitas Hospitales (Casitas de Salud)

The Casitas Hospitales (or Casitas de Salud) are two structures (one each for male and female) huts perched atop a low hill originally intended as tea houses but later converted into clinics to each accommodate 2 patients from far flung municipalities. Each has a floor area of 70 sq. ft..

Aqueduct system (Patubig sa Talisay)

The aqueduct system or lagoon, cutting across the shrine, feeds a water reservoir connected by bamboo tubes to the kitchen and lavatory.  It is 110 m. long and has inclined walls about 2.5 m. deep.  As a perito agrimensor (expert surveyor), Rizal applied his engineering knowledge by constructing this system of waterworks in 1895 with the help of his pupils.  The water system provided adequate and year-round water supply for Rizal‘s farm and household needs.

The top of the dam with the bust of Don Ricardo Carnincero and his wife on the left

It connects to the still existing and original dam where Rizal gave swimming lessons to his students.  Accessed by a long flight of cemented steps, its top has a bust of Don Ricardo Carnicero and his wife.  Near the dam is a four by 2.5-m. concrete water reservoir built in 1968. 

The natural, heart-shaped Mi Retiro Rock

Mi Retiro Rock, a natural heart-shaped rock reclaimed from the sea and set in an artificial lagoon, is where Rizal scribbled the beautiful poem Mi Retiro (A Mi Madre) which described his place of exile as a tranquil haven from political persecution, and the song Himmne a Talisay (Hymn to Talisay) written for his pupils and paying tribute to individual excellence and holistic education.

Rizal exchanged commitment vows with Josephine Bracken at Mi Retiro Rock. Rizal also spent many hours watching the sunset here.

Because they could not be married under the Catholic Church (Fr. Antonio Obach refused to marry them without the permission of the Bishop of Cebu), this is also where he exchanged commitment vows with Josephine Bracken. Rizal also spent many hours watching the sunset here.  It is also called Batong Lumayag because it appears to be afloat during high tide.

The 500-seat, open air amphitheater where lectures on Rizal are held

A 500-seat, semicircular and open-air amphitheater, built in 1978 by the city government from funds from the office of the Regional Commissioner headed by Rear Admiral Romulo M. Espaldon (Minister for Muslim Affairs), is located beyond Mi Retiro Rock.  Situated at the slope of a hill, it is 20 m.long and has eight elevated steps.  Lectures about the life of Rizal are conducted here, usually by the curator.

Visit of Pio Valenzuela to Dapitan (Julie Lluch). Pio was the emissary sent by Andres Bonifacio to Dapitan to inform Rizal of the plan of Katipunan during the meeting at a little river called Bitukang Manok. Valenzuela arrived in Dapitan on board the steamer Venus with Raymundo Mata, a blind man who came with Valenzuela to camouflage his mission. Rizal objected to Bonifacio’s project because the people were not ready for a revolution and arms and funds must first be collected before raising the cry of revolution..

Strategically located within the sprawling shrine are Julie Lluch’s beautiful life-size brass sculptures, all unveiled on June 19, 2016 (the 155th birth anniversary of Rizal), depicting José Rizal as traveler, Rizal and Pio Valenzuela in a huddle, and Josephine Bracken.

Museo ni Jose Rizal

The Museo ni Jose Rizal, an addition to the shrine, was built in 1971.  Located at the foot of a hill, near the shrine’s main gate, it houses all Rizaliana books, periodicals and other historical exhibits.  Part of the building serves as the office of the Rizal Shrine Curator.  The shrine is administered and maintained by the National Historical Institute (NHI).

Check out “Museo ni Jose Rizal“

Masonic structures and symbols, beside the museum, dedicated to Rizal.  Rizal was a prominent member of Masonry.

Members of organizations dedicated to the promotion of Rizal’s ideals (Knights of Rizal, Kababaihang Rizalista, Kabataang Pangarap ni Rizal, Kingdom of God Inc., etc.) live in a community atop the hill of the Rizal Shrine.

Other Masonic monuments

Rizal Park and Shrine: Brgy. Talisay, Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte. Open daily, 8 AM to 5 PM (The Museo ni Jose Rizal is closed on Mondays). Admission is free. 

How to Get There: The protected landscape and memorial is located some 9 kms. (5.6 mi.) north of the Dipolog Airport. It is accessible via the Dipolog–Oroquieta National Road and Jose Rizal Avenue in Dapitan.

Rizal Disembarkation Site (Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte)

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Rizal Disembarkation Site) (Desembarco de Rizal)

Upon arrival in Dapitan City, we first visited the Rizal Disembarkation Site (Punto del Desembarco de Rizal) along Sunset Blvd. where Dr. Jose Rizal first set foot on Sta. Cruz Beach in Dapitan, the start of his 4 year exile.

Check out “Rizal Park and Shrine”

The author at the Rizal Disembarkation Site

Rizal, under maximum security, left Manila after midnight, 14 July 1892, on board the steamer SS Cebu along with military corps as well as prisoners (one due for execution). On July 17, from the steamer, the ship captain Delgras and three artillery men accompanied Rizal to the small boat that would take him to the shore. The sea was rough and, in his account of his journey to Dapitan, Rizal described the beach as “very gloomy,” perhaps reflecting his mood about his exile. 

At 7 PM, they landed on the beach in Santa Cruz on to begin his life in exile. Accompanied by Delgras and the artillerymen, Rizal walked, with a farol de combate that lit the dark Sta. Cruz Street, to the Casa Real where he was presented to Don Ricardo Carnicero, Spanish military governor of the district.  He stayed here for eight months (17 July 1892 to March 1893).  Acting as his warden; Carnicero was supposed to send reports of his “prisoner” to higher authorities. However, he didn’t see any threat in him and Rizal was allowed to freely move around and lived a normal life in Dapitan. On the occasion of the commandant’s birthday on August 26, 1892, Rizal wrote a poem entitled “A Don Ricardo Carnicero.”

Bronzed statues of Rizal, Delgras and the 3 artillerymen

Marking the spot along Sta. Cruz Beach is a monument conceived by Antonio Tuviera and designed by Arch. Nilo Ajo. Ferraren.  The monument was unveiled on December 28, 2009 during the 4th Handuraw Festival celebration.

NHC historical plaque

Inauguration plaque

It consists of a raised podium with bronze statues of Jose Rizal, ship captain Delgras and three artillery men (one holding the farol de combate).  The statues were installed and bronzed by Ronel Roces.

Sta. Cruz Beach

Sunset Boulevard, the road along the landing site, is a good spot to watch the sunset. Across the landing site is a 20-foot cross was erected to symbolize the propagation of Christianity in the locality of Dapitan.

The 20-ft. high cross

Rizal Disembarkation Site: Sunset Blvd., Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte.

Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto (Baguio City, Benguet)

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The author at Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto

The Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto (or simply the Grotto or Lourdes Grotto), a Catholic shrine and place of prayer and meditation, is one of the most popular attractions in Baguio City.  Located on Mirador (meaning “prospect point”) Hill, in the western part of the city, this very familiar and much photographed spot is particularly crowded on Sundays and during Holy Week, when pilgrims and devotees come to seek the blessing of the Virgin Mary.

The 252-step stairway leading up to the grotto

Visitors to this popular tourist destination have increased in numbers over the years. On Good Friday, it is estimated that about 10,000 people visit the grotto.  To reach the shrine, visitors must climb 252 steps or drive a light vehicle up a winding and steep paved road. When you reach the top of the stairs, it is traditional to light a candle.

The century-old Lourdes Grotto, an integral adjunct of the Mirador Jesuit Villa, was constructed in 1913 at the initiative of Fr. José Algue, S.J., the director of the Manila Observatory. It was made of the same limestone, probably gathered on Mirador Hill, and was built, in slow stages, by Jesuit scholastics (seminarians), brothers and fathers, usually during the summer when Jesuits on vacation would augment the community’s population.

Jandy at Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto

The stairway, from the grotto to the foot of the hills, was completed five years later. The steps began as stones laid on the ground but was later covered with cement.

Candle gallery

Prayer area for devotees

Inside the grotto is a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. The image, of polychromed molave, was carved by noted sculptor Isabelo Tampingco, whose name is inscribed (“I. Tampingco Manila 1913”) at the back of the statue. Above the statue are inscribed the Latin words Tota Pulchra Es Maria (“You are beautiful Mary,” part of an old Catholic prayer of the same title). An excellent view of the city can be had from the grotto.

View of Baguio City

On March 2007, work began on the grotto’s upper most section. For the convenience of pilgrims, the upper most landing was extended by more than 150 sq. m. and handicap access was provided. The stairs leading up to the grotto, damaged during the July 16, 1990 Luzon earthquake, was repaired and a center rail added for the convenience of the elderly.

Kapilya Nina Hesus at Maria

Within the shrine is the Kapilya nina Hesus at Maria (Chapel of Jesus and Mary).  Commonly known as the Lourdes Grotto Chapel, inside is an image of the Divine Mercy on the left and Our Lady of Lourdes on the right.

Interior of Kapilya Nina Hesus at Maria. On the left is the statue of the Divine Mercy while on the right is the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes

Also within the grounds is The Shrine of The Risen Lord, a big statue of Jesus Christ with outstretched arms.  Made on the spot by skilled sculptors from Black Nazarene Enterprises (the sculpture atelier of Bernie Caber), it was dedicated on February 11, 2008, the 150th anniversary of the appearance of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes to St. Bernadette Soubirous.

Walkway leading to The Shrine of the Risen Lord

The statue will be the culmination of a planned outdoor Stations of the Cross whose bas reliefs will also be designed by Bernie Caber.  It will begin near the parking area at the vehicular entrance of Mirador Hill and will follow a penitential path through the rock formations of Mirador Hill.

Shrine of the Risen Lord

Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto: Dominican Hill Rd., Mirador Hill, Baguio City, 2600 Benguet. Open daily, 6 AM – 7:30 PM.

How to Get There: From Zandueta St. (Baguio Central District), jeepneys travel to Lourdes or Dominican Hills.

Tian Tan Buddha (Lantau Island, Hong Kong)

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Tian Tan Buddha Statue

The majestic Big Buddha statue, sitting atop the peak of 479 m. high Mount Muk Yue, is sited near Po Lin Monastery.  At ground level, the statue was quite a formidable and imposing sight. Together with many other tourists, we were huffing and puffing on our way up, only catching our breath at a number of stair landings. The view of Lantau Island, the 934 m. (3,064 ft.) Lantau Peak and the South China Sea from the top was ’breathtaking.

Check out “Po Lin Monastery“

This large bronze statue of Buddha Shakyamuni, a major center of Buddhism in Hong Kong and a popular tourist attraction, symbolizes the harmonious relationship between man and nature, people and faith.  The statue, skillfully mastered and conceptualized by the artist to shape the perfect design of the Buddha statue that we see today, was a culmination of the characteristics of Buddhist sculptural art of the Sui and Tang Dynasties (when Buddhism was at its prime).

Taking 12 years to plan and build, this bronze Buddha statue, an outstanding piece in Buddhist sculptural art in recent history, is now a major landmark in Hong Kong attracting numerous local and overseas Buddhists and visitors.  It symbolizes the stability of Hong Kong, prosperity of China and peace on earth.

The author at the foot of the stairs leading up to the Buddha

The Big Buddha Statue, combining traditional bronze art with modern science and technology, embodies the harmonious resonance of Buddhist spirit and modern civilization – a solemn epitome of human beings’ continuous and unyielding pursuit of moral happiness and peace on earth.

Grace (near left), Cheska (fifth from left), Bryan (sixth from left) and Kyle (right) making their way up the stairs

Here’s the timeline of the statues construction:

  • In 1974, the government granted Po Lin Monastery 6,567 sq. m. of land in Mount Muk Yue, at a nominal premium, for the building of the Buddha statue.
  • On December 26, 1981, the Committee for the Construction of the Tian Tan Buddha Statue was formally established, by Po Lin Monastery, to coordinate the project, including the artistic design and concept of the statue, building materials and details of construction.
  • On April 1982, the work on the 1:5 scale, 5 m. high plaster model of the statue, fashioned by Ms. Hou Jinhui of the Guangzhou Institute of Fine Arts, was started.
  • On February 1984, the plaster model was completed, the draft of which had been revisited eight times, following discussions and consultations with the artist responsible for the conceptual design of the statue.
  • On September 26, 1986, the plaster model of the statue was shipped to Nanjing from Guangzhou.
  • On April 1989, the bronze pieces were transported to Hong Kong by sea.
  • On October 13, 1989, the last bronze piece of the statue was put in place and a solemn topping ceremony was held on the same day.
  • On December 29, 1993, which the Chinese reckon as the day of the Buddha’s enlightenment, the statue was inaugurated, with monks from around the world invited to the opening ceremony. Also taking part in the proceedings were distinguished visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the United States.

Halfway up the stairs

The project was divided into six stages, with Nanjing Chengguang Machinery Plant of the China Astronautics Science and Technology Consultant Corporation principally carrying out the actual casting, finishing and assembly of the Buddha statue.  During the overall project design stage, over 5,000 drawings and 300 technical documents were produced within less than three months. The daily and monthly work progress for the subsequent three years was mapped out and prepared by system analysis.

Bronze incense censer

The enlargement, carried out by the technical staff through a special “survey-controlled box enlargement method,” involved the use of stereoscopic photography to find out the position of the statue in space.  When over 3,900 coordinate points were established, the computer was then used to calculate the enlargement. At the same time, to form the inner frame of the statue, a traditional method of using boxes which were stacked up in layers was used. Then plaster was applied to the outer surface, producing a 1:1 scale model.

The body of the statue, cast in 202 bronze pieces after careful studies and surveying, was supported by an inner steel framework and fixed by connecting bolts. Auxiliary supports were used to connect the bronze pieces to the main framework.  The bronze pieces had thicknesses ranging from 10 to 13 mm. and the error margin of each cast piece was less than 3 mm..  Precision molds were prepared according to the different shapes of the pieces.

After overcoming numerous difficulties, the professional staff, in an effort to portray fully the splendor of Buddha Sakyamuni and to achieve a perfect artistic design, managed to finally cast the face of the Buddha in a single piece. To rehearse for the on-site assembly, a trial assembly was carried out in the plant where any problems that might occur on site were detected and solved.

View of Po Lin Monastery

The Buddha statue was trial assembled separately in three sections (upper, middle and the lower) and various necessary adjustments and trimmings were made to the bronze pieces plus initial mechanical finishing was also carried out.

Jandy with the Big Buddha in the background

On arrival at Lantau Island, the very large face piece and two other large bronze pieces were safely transported up to Mount Muk Yue with the help of the Transport Department who provided a large lorry and two large cranes (which sandwiched the lorry in the middle) for this arduous journey up the winding and narrow roads on the island. The arduous task of assembly and welding (the length of weld was over 5 kms.) of the statue was carried out, in open air, from bottom upwards in eight layers.

To ensure that the Buddha statue would not be damaged by strong winds, calculations on the wind pressure, imposed load and material strength of the various parts of the statue were conducted the specialists using computers and the Beijing Institute of Aerodynamics specially created a testing model, utilizing the wind tunnel employed for satellites and rockets, to conduct unidirectional as well as multi-directional wind tests on the statue as a whole and on the various parts.

The Offering of the Six Devas

The optimal coating for the surface coloring of the statue, carefully studied for over a year, was selected from various formulas for surface coloring.  Oozing an air of classical simplicity and solemn dignity, it is not susceptible to fading because of corrosion due to the exposure to the elements.

One of the halls inside the podium

Here are some interesting trivia regarding the statue:

  • The design of the statue was based on the 32 laksanas (“physical marks” of the Buddha as described in the sutras).
  • The Tian Tan Buddha is one of the five large Buddha statues in China and is the biggest sitting Buddha statue built outdoor.
  • The statue was named The Big Buddha because its base is a model of the Earthly Mount of Tian Tan (or Altar of Heaven), the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
  • Enthroned on a lotus on top of a three-platform altar, it is surrounded by six smaller bronze statues known as “The Offering of the Six Devas,” symbolizing the Six Perfections of generosity, morality, patience, zeal, meditation and wisdom, all of which are necessary for enlightenment.  They are posed offering flowers, incense, lamp, ointment, fruit and music to the Buddha.
  • Every feature of the Buddha statue has a symbolic meaning of religious significance. The face, measuring 4.3 m. by 5.8 m., with a thickness of 13 mm. and a weight of 5 metric tons, was modeled after the Buddha Vairocana of the Longmen Grottoes for its fullness and serene beauty. The clothes and headgear had their inspiration from the soft and smooth flowing lines of the Buddha Sakyamuni image in Cave 360 of the Mogao Caves.
  • For the building of the Buddha statue, the original idea was to use reinforced concrete. However, due to artistic requirements, structural problems as well as the anticipated difficulties in quality and cost control, bronze was finally chosen as the building material.
  • The Big Buddha is 34 m. (112 ft.) tall, weighs over 250 metric tons (280 short tons) and was constructed from 202 bronze pieces.
  • Reputedly the figure can be seen across the bay from as far away as Macau on a clear day.
  • In addition to its exterior components, there is a strong steel framework inside to support the heavy load.
  • Visitors have to climb 268 steps to reach the Buddha. However, to accommodate the handicapped, the site also features a small winding road for vehicles.
  • The Buddha’s raised right hand represents the removal of affliction while the left hand, resting open on his lap, is in a gesture of generosity.
  • The statue faces north, which is unique among the great Buddha statues, as all others face south.
  • One of the statue’s most renowned features inside is a relic of Gautama Buddha, consisting of some of his alleged cremated Only visitors who purchase an offering for the Buddha are allowed to see the relic, entering to leave it there.
  • On October 18, 1999, the Hong Kong Post Office issued a definitive issue of landmark stamps, of which the HK$2.50 value depicts The Big Buddha.
  • In 2000, the Big Buddha Statue was elected as the fourth of the 10 Engineering Wonders in Hong Kong (the others, all public works projects, are the Lantau Link, the Hong Kong International Airport Passenger Terminal and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Extension). Of the projects in the private sector, the Big Buddha Stature came as the first.
  • On May 22, 2012, it was also featured on the HK$3 value of the Five Festival set, this one celebrating the birth of Sakyamuni Buddha. The MTR corporation also issued a souvenir ticket featuring a photograph of the statue.

View of Lantau Island and South China Sea

There are three floors beneath the statue – Hall of the Universe, Hall of Benevolent Merit and Hall of Remembrance.   In the show room, there’s a huge carved bell, inscribed with images of Buddhas and designed to ring every 7 minutes, 108 (symbolizing the release of 108 kinds of human vexations) times a day.

View of Lantau Peak

Tian Tan Buddha: Ngong Ping Rd., Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, Hong Kong. The Buddha (as well as Po Lin Monastery) are open daily, 10 AM to 5 PM. Access to the outside of the Buddha is free of charge, but there is an admission fee to go inside the Buddha.

How to Get There: Visitors can reach the site by bus or taxi, travelling first to Mui Wo (also known as “Silvermine Bay”) via ferry from the Outlying Islands piers in Central (pier No. 6) or to Tung Chung station via the MTR, or via the 25-min. Ngong Ping 360 gondola lift between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping. Visitors may then travel to and from the Buddha via the Mui Wo ↔ Ngong Ping (NLB No. 2) and Tung Chung ↔ Ngong Ping (NLB No. 23) bus routes.

Heritage of Cebu Monument (Cebu City, Cebu)

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Heritage of Cebu Monument

The Heritage of Cebu Monument, a visually and contextually interesting tableau of concrete, bronze, brass and steel sculptures in the historic Parian District, shows scenes of significant and symbolic events in the history of Cebu back from the time of Rajah Humabon to the recent beatification of the Cebuano martyr, Pedro Calungsod.

Battle of Mactan

It was built on the site of the St. John the Baptist Church which was demolished in 1875 by the diocese of Cebu.  This work of art stands on a traffic circle, with narrow streets flanking the sides. Across the street is the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House.

Check out “Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House”

Galleon Trade

The late, multi-awarded Cebuano sculptor Eduardo Castrillo designed and conceptualized the monument and, with the late Senator Marcelo Fernan, together with donations from other private individuals and organizations, funded the construction of the monument.

Plaque

Construction began in July 1997 and, after three years, the monument was inaugurated on December 8, 2000.

Magellan’s Cross

The structures carved into the huge monolith are the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, the St. John the Baptist Church, the Magellan’s Cross, and a Spanish Galleon while scenes depicted are the baptism of Rajah Humabon and his followers to Christianity, the local revolution against the Spanish rule, a procession of the Santo Niño, a Roman Catholic mass, and the April 21, 1521 Battle of Mactan between Lapu-Lapu and Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. The persons depicted in the monument include the late president Sergio Osmena Sr. and St. Pedro Calungsod.

Spanish Galleon

Heritage of Cebu Monument: Sikatuna St., Plaza Parian, Cebu City, Cebu.

How to Get There: Jeepneys along Colon Street, with the signboard showing “SM” and “Pier,” pass by the monument. You may also take a taxicab as most drivers are familiar with the place. From Ayala Center or SM, it is a 15-20 min. taxi ride.

Meiji Jingu Shrine (Tokyo, Japan)

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The Meiji Jingu Shrine

As we delved deeper into Yoyogi Park, we soon came across the entrance to the Meiji Shrine. Located directly in front of the entrance to the shrine was the temizuya (font), a cleansing station where visitors used wooden ladles to spiritually cleanse themselves by pouring water over their hands (left before right) and rinse mouths with their left hand.

The temizuya (hand wash pavilion)

The Meiji Shrine (明治神宮 Meiji Jingū), the largest and one of the Japan’s most popular Shinto shrines, is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji (the shrine, however, does not contain the emperor’s grave, which is located at Fushimi-momoyama, south of Kyoto) and his wife and consort, Empress Shōken.

Torii (Japanese gate) at the entrance of the Meiji Jingu Shrine.  Devotees usually bow once here upon entering and exiting the shrine.

After the emperor’s death in 1912, the Japanese Diet passed a resolution to commemorate his role in the Meiji Restoration, choosing an iris garden, in an area of Tokyo where Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken had been known to visit, as the building’s location. The building of the shrine, a national project, mobilized youth groups and other civic associations from throughout Japan, who contributed labor and funding. In 1915, construction began under Itō Chūta.

The Minami-Shinmon Gate

The shrine, built in the traditional nagare-zukuri style, primarily uses Japanese cypress and copper. On November 1, 1920, eight years after the passing of the emperor and six years after the passing of the empress, it was formally dedicated and completed in 1921.  Its grounds were officially finished by 1926. Until 1946, the Meiji Shrine was officially designated one of the Kanpei-taisha (官幣大社), meaning that it stood in the first rank of government supported shrines.

The author at Minami-Shinmon Gate

During the Tokyo air raids of World War II, the original building was destroyed and the present iteration of the shrine was funded through a public fund raising effort and completed in October 1958. The shrine has been visited by numerous foreign politicians, including U.S. Pres. George W. Bush, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.

Kyle, Grace and Jandy in front of the Honden (Main Hall)

The entrance to the shrine complex, marked by a massive torii gate (one of the largest in Japan) in the Myojin style, constructed from a more than 1,500 year old hinoki (Japanese cypress from Taiwan), leads through the Jingu Bashi bridge. Upon entry into the shrine grounds, the sights and sounds of the busy city are replaced by a tranquil forest and Meiji Jingu’s buildings, at the middle of the forest, that have an air of tranquility distinct from the surrounding city.

A lady worshiper praying at the Main Hall. In front of her is an offertory box where coins are dropped

Visitors to the shrine can take part in typical Shinto activities – making offerings at the main hall, buying charms and amulets, writing out one’s wish on an ema (piece of paper) and tying them on a prayer wall, etc. On the first days of the New Year, Japanese usually visit a Shinto shrine to prepare for the Hatsumōde (初詣), the year’s first prayers, and the shrine is the most popular location in Tokyo for this, regularly welcoming more than three million visitors. During the rest of the year, traditional Shinto weddings can often be seen taking place there.

Visitors shopping for omamori (lucky charms, talismans and amulets for all kinds of occasions) or ofuda (emblems bearing the name of the shrine or enshrined deities distributed by the shrine)

The shrine itself is composed of two major areas – the Naien and the Gaien. The Naien, the inner precinct, is centered on the shrine buildings, dating from 1958. The buildings, all great example of Japanese Shinto architecture, are made from Japanese cypress wood from the Kiso region of Nagano (regarded as the best in Japan) with green cooper plates used for the roofs.

Interior of the main hall

It consists of the honden (The Main Hall, the main shrine building proper and the innermost sanctuary of the shrine), noritoden (The Prayer Recital Hall where Shinto liturgy is recited), naihaiden (The Inner Shrine Hall), gehaiden (The Outer Shrine Hall), shinsenjo (the consecrated kitchen for the preparation of the food offerings) and shinko (The Treasure House).

A prayer wall where ema are hung on hooks. An ema is a wooden tablet, obtained at the juyosho (amulet offices), where wishes are written.  There are two main types of ema – Kigan-Ema (bear the crest of the shrine on their front and the word Kigan on their back) and the Eto-Ema (depicting this year’s Eto  or zodiac).

The Treasure House, at the northern end of the shrine grounds, was built in the Azekurazukuri style one year after the shrine was opened.  It displays many interesting personal belongings of the Emperor and Empress, including the carriage which the emperor rode to the formal declaration of the Meiji Constitution in 1889. The Museum Annex Building, just to the east of the main shrine buildings, displays temporary exhibitions.

Kaguraden (Hall of Shinto Music and Dance). Goshuin (Meiji Jingu Memorial Seal), to remind you of your visit to Meiji Jingu,  are stamped and hand-painted here.

The quite beautiful, simple and classic Minami-shin Mon, the main shrine gate to the inner precinct, was built in 1921.  Made entirely of Japanese cypress, it has a copper plate roof. You reach it upon passing the final myojin torii gate. This gate and one of the amulet offices (shukueisha) were the only constructions in Meiji Shrine not destroyed by the World War II raids.

The reception and registration area of the Kaguraden Hall

The Kaguraden (Hall of Shinto Music and Dance), built to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Meiji Jingu, was started in 1990 and completed in October 1993. This 3-storey building (one floor is above the ground and the other two floors below ground level) follows the traditional Irimoya-Nagarezukuri architectural style The front entrance, with the reception and registration area, is slightly below ground level. One flight of stairs leads down, and another flight of stairs leads up to the waiting area and the hall for ceremonies.

The Gaien, the outer precinct, includes the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery (housing a collection of 80 large murals illustrative of the events in the lives of the Emperor and his consort); a variety of sports facilities, including the National Stadium (Meiji Jingu Gaien Stadium and later, since 1956, on the same site, Tokyo Olympic Stadium); the Meiji Kinenkan (Meiji Memorial Hall).  The latter, originally used for governmental meetings (including discussions surrounding the drafting of the Meiji Constitution in the late 19th century), is now used for Shinto weddings as well as meeting rooms for rent and restaurants services.

The Meiji-jingu Gyoen (Inner Garden), a large area of the southern section of the shrine grounds, becomes particularly popular during the middle of June when the beautiful irises here are in bloom. Kiyomasa’s Well, a small well located within the garden visited by the Emperor and Empress while they were alive, was named after a military commander who dug it around 400 years ago. The well has become a popular spiritual “power spot.”

Meiji Shrine: 1-1, Kamizono-chō, Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0053.  Open daily, from sunrise to sunset.  Admission to the shrine precinct is free. The Inner Garden, open from 9 AM to 5 PM, requires an entrance fee of JP¥500 to enter.

How to Get There: From JR Tokyo Station, get on the Yamanote Line and get off at the busy Harajuku Station on the JR Yamanote Line or Meiji-jingu-mae Station on the Chiyoda and Fukutoshin Subway Lines. It is about a 25 minute train ride. The approach to Meiji Shrine starts a few steps from Harajuku Station.  The main complex of shrine buildings is a 10-min. walk from both the southern entrance near Harajuku Station and the northern entrance near Yoyogi Station.

Hachiko Memorial Statue (Tokyo, Japan)

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Hachiko Memorial Statue

It was now late in the day when we finished our late lunch inside our airconditioned hotel room and, as many museums close by 5 PM, we decided to just visit Shibuya Crossing and the nearby famous Hachiko Statue.  From the Akasaka Station, it was just a short 10-min. train ride to Shibuya Station.

The bronze memorial statue of the loyal dog Hachikō, between the train station and the intersection, is a common meeting place and, thus, was crowded. Hachikō, was, during his lifetime, held up in Japanese culture as an example of loyalty and fidelity.

This Akita Inu (a Japanese breed from the mountains of northern Japan) dog was born on November 10, 1923 in a farm near the city of Ōdate, Akita Prefecture. In 1924, Hachikō was taken as a pet by Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the Tokyo Imperial University, who brought him to live in Shibuya, Tokyo. Professor Ueno would commute daily to work, and Hachikō, at the end of each day, would leave the house to greet him at the nearby Shibuya Station.

This daily routine continued until May 21, 1925 when, while he was giving a lecture,  the professor suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died without ever returning to the train station in which Hachikō waited. Still, each day for the next nine years, nine months and fifteen days, Hachikō would still await Ueno’s return, appearing precisely when the train was due at the station and thus attracting the attention of other commuters, many of whom frequented the Shibuya train station and had seen Hachikō and Professor Ueno together each day.

Hirokichi Saito, one of Ueno’s students who developed expertise on the Akita breed, also saw Hachiko at the station and followed him to the home of Kuzaboro Kobayashi, Ueno’s former gardener, where he learned the history of Hachikō’s life. He returned frequently to visit Hachikō and, over the years, published several articles about the dog’s remarkable loyalty. On October 4, 1932, an article about him in Asahi Shimbun (Asahi News), placed Hachikō in the national spotlight, making the dog a national sensation. People started to bring Hachikō treats and food to nourish him during his wait.

His faithfulness to his master Ueno’s memory impressed Japanese people as a spirit of family loyalty to which all should strive to achieve and teachers and parents also used Hachikō’s vigil as an example for children to follow. Throughout the country, a new awareness of the Akita breed grew. Eventually, Hachikō’s legendary faithfulness became a national symbol of loyalty, particularly to the person and institution of Emperors.

Hachikō died on March 8, 1935, at the age of 11, from both terminalcancer and a filaria infection, and his remains were cremated and his ashes were buried in Aoyama Cemetery, Minato, Tokyo, resting beside those of Professor Ueno, Hachikō’s beloved master. His fur, preserved after his death, was stuffed and mounted and is currently on permanent display at the National Science Museum of Japan in Ueno, Tokyo.

A statue based Hachiko’s likeness was first sculpted by well-known Japanese artist Teru Ando and erected at Shibuya Station (35°39′32.6″N 139°42′2.1″E) in April 1934, with Hachikō himself present at its unveiling. During World War II, the statue was recycled for the war effort.

L-R: the author, Kyle, Grace and Jandy

In 1948, Takeshi Ando, son of the original artist, was commissioned by the Society for Recreating the Hachikō Statue to make a new second statue which was erected in August 1948.  It still stands and is a popular meeting spot. The station entrance near this statue, one of Shibuya Station’s five exits, is named the Hachikō Entrance/Exit (Hachikō-guchi).

L-R: Cheska, Kyle and Bryan

Hachikō’s devotion is honored on March 8, each year, with a solemn ceremony of remembrance at the Shibuya railroad station, attended by hundreds of dog lovers who want to honor his memory and loyalty. Well after Hachiko’s death, the dog continues to be remembered in worldwide popular culture, with statues, movies, books, and appearances in various media.  In 1987, the story of Hachiko was depicted in the Japanese film,  Hachikō Monogatari (ハチ公物語,The Tale of Hachiko). The 2009 British American drama film Hachi: A Dog’s Tale,  which starred Richard Gere, Joan Allen and Sarah Roemer, is a remake of the Japanese film. 

Plaque of statue

Hachiko Memorial Statue: 1 Chome-2 Dōgenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tōkyō-to 150-0043, Japan.  Tel:  +81 3-3463-1762.

National World War II Memorial (Washington, D.C., U.S.A.)

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National World War II Memorial

The National World War II Memorial, an American memorial of national significance, sits on a 30,000 m2  (7.4-acre) piece of land (two-thirds of which is landscaping and water) on the former site of the Rainbow Pool at the eastern end of the Reflecting Pool, between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

The granite pillars

The memorial is dedicated to those who served in the armed forces and as civilians during World War II. It consists of 56 5.2 m. (17 ft.) tall granite pillars,  arranged in a semicircle, and a pair of small 13 m. (43-ft.) high memorial triumphal arches (crafted by Rock of Ages Corporation, the northern arch is inscribed with “Atlantic,” the southern one, “Pacific“), on opposite sides, surrounding a plaza and fountain.

The author with the Atlantic Arch in the background

Its design was based on Friedrich St. Florian‘s initial design, selected in 1997 during a nationwide design competition that drew 400 submissions from architects from around the country but altered during the review and approval process. On September 2001, ground was broken and the construction was managed by the General Services Administration.

The Pacific Arch

Opened on April 29, 2004, it was dedicated by President George W. Bush on May 29, 2004. On November 1, 2004, the memorial became a national park  when authority over it was transferred to the National Park Service (under its National Mall and Memorial Parks group). As of 2009, more than 4.4 million people visit the memorial each year. In 2012, the memorial’s fountain was renovated.

The memorial’s fountain

Each of the 56 pillars, all consisting of oak (symbolizing military and industrial strength) laurel wreaths and wheat (symbolizing agricultural and breadbasket during the U.S. part in the war) laurel wreath. is inscribed with the name of one of the 48 U.S. states (as of 1945), as well as the District of Columbia, the Alaska Territory, Territory of Hawaii, the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The pillar of the Commonwealth of the Philippines

The plaza is 102.97 m. (337 ft., 10 in.) long and 73.2 m. (240 ft., 2 in.) wide and is sunk 1.8 m. (6 ft.) below grade.  It contains a pool that is 75.2 × 45 m. (246 ft., 9 in. by 147 ft., 8 in.). The memorial also includes two, inconspicuously located “Kilroy was here” engravings which acknowledges the significance of the symbol to American soldiers during World War II and how it represented their presence and protection wherever it was inscribed.

Excerpt from a speech by Pres. Harry S. Truman

Excerpt from Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s speech

The lettering for the memorial was designed by the John Stevens Shop and most of the inscriptions were hand-carved in situ. Laran Bronze, in Chester, Pennsylvania, cast all the bronzes over the course of two and a half years.

Some of the inscriptions

The Battle of Midway

The baldacchinos of the Pacific and Atlantic Arches each have laurel wreaths suspended in the air, with 4 bronze eagles carrying it, all created by sculptor Raymond Kaskey. The stainless-steel armature that holds up the eagles and wreaths was designed at Laran, in part by sculptor James Peniston, and fabricated by Apex Piping of Newport, Delaware. The chandelier sculpture symbolizes the victory of the War with the Nation’s bird carrying a Grecian symbol of victory but with an American adaptation of oak laurel wreaths to symbolize strength.

Seal using the World War II Victory Medal design

On approaching the semicircle from the east, I walked along one of two walls (right side wall and left side wall) with 24 bronze bas-relief panels (also created by sculptor Raymond Kaskey) that depict wartime scenes of combat and the home front. The scenes, as I approached on the left (toward the Pacific Arch), begin with soon-to-be servicemen getting their physical exams, taking the oath, being issued military gear, and progresses through several iconic scenes, including combat and burying the dead, ending in a homecoming scene.

The memorial flagpole

There is a similar progression on the right-side wall (toward the Atlantic arch) but the scenes are generally more typical of the European theatre with some scenes taking place in England, depicting the preparations for air and sea assaults. The last scene is of a handshake between the American and Russian armies when the western and eastern fronts met in Germany.

The Price of Freedom

The Freedom Wall, on the west side of the memorial, has a view of the Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memorial behind it. The wall has 4,048 gold stars, each representing 100 Americans who died in the war. In front of the wall lies the message “Here we mark the price of freedom”

Jandy at the fountain area

National World War II Memorial: National Mall, Washington, D.C.

District of Columbia War Memorial (Washington, D.C., U.S.A.)

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The District of Columbia War Memorial, a memorial within the National Mall (the only local District memorial there)commemorating the citizens of the District of Columbia who served, fought and gave their lives in World War I, stands in in a grove of trees at West Potomac Park (the first war memorial to be erected in the park), near the Lincoln Memorial and slightly off of Independence Avenue.

District of Columbia War Memorial

Authorized by a June 7, 1924 act of Congress, funds for the memorial’s construction were provided by the contributions of both organizations and individual citizens of the District. In the spring of 1931, construction of the memorial, designed by Washington architect Frederick H. Brooke, with Horace W. Peaslee and Nathan C. Wyeth as associate architects, began and the memorial was dedicated on November 11, 1931, Armistice Day, by Pres. Herbert Hoover.

Dedication inscription

This 14.3 m. (47-ft.) tall circular, domed, peristyle Doric temple rests on concrete foundations. Its 1.2 m. (4 ft.) high marble base defines a 13.2 m. (43 ft., 5 in.) diameter platform, intended for use as a bandstand. Preserved in the cornerstone is a list of 26,000 Washingtonians who served in the World War I while inscribed on the base are the names of the 499 citizens who lost their lives in the war, together with medallions representing the branches of the armed forces. Twelve 6.7 m. (22-ft.) high, fluted Doric marble columns support the entablature and dome.

List of those who died

Restoration work, funded with US$7.3 million provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, began in October 2010. The lighting systems were improved, water drainage systems were corrected and the landscape was revived to allow the memorial to be used as a bandstand. On November 10, 2011, the memorial reopened. In 2014, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The memorial is administered by the National Park Service under its National Mall and Memorial Parks unit.

How to Get There: The DC War Memorial is located just west of 17th St. and Independence Ave. SW, next to the World War II Memorial. The closest Metro station is Smithsonian.