Rizal Park (Luneta)

Liwasang Rizal

A 58-hectare national park on the south side of Intramuros, the site where national hero José Rizal was executed in 1896. It holds his monument and the Philippines' 'Kilometer Zero' marker, and is surrounded by the National Museum complex, making it the spiritual heart of Manila.

Rizal Park (formerly Luneta) is a 58-hectare urban park in central Manila, stretching from the southern wall of Intramuros to Manila Bay. Because national hero José Rizal was executed here by Spanish colonial authorities on December 30, 1896, it became a sacred national site. At its core is the Rizal Monument, completed in 1913: a black granite obelisk with a bronze statue of Rizal standing before it, and his remains buried beneath. An honour guard keeps watch 24 hours a day, and the changing of the guard can be watched. In front of the monument is the 'Kilometer Zero' marker, where Philippine independence was proclaimed in 1946 and from which national highway distances are measured. The rest of the park includes the light-and-sculpture installation at the martyrdom site, which recreates the execution scene with sound-and-light shows at night; a Chinese Garden and a Japanese Garden; an Orchid Garden; a pool with a large relief map of the Philippine archipelago; an open-air music stage; and the National Library and Planetarium. To the north is the National Museum complex (the Museums of Fine Arts, Anthropology and Natural History), free to enter. At the west end, on Manila Bay, are the Quirino Grandstand and the Manila Hotel. The park is free and open all day. Early mornings bring many locals exercising, doing aerobics and practising tai chi, and on weekend evenings families picnic, making it a great place to observe daily life in Manila. Getting there: a 5-minute walk from United Nations station on LRT1, or a 10-minute walk from San Agustin Church in Intramuros. Tip: combine Intramuros, the museums and the park into one day, with Intramuros in the morning, the museums at midday, Rizal Park in the evening, and Baywalk for sunset. Notes: the midday sun is intense and tree shade is limited. Watch your belongings and beware of self-appointed 'guides' who approach you. Do not linger around the park after dark.

Rizal Park (Luneta)

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