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Famous Historic Shrines And Monuments in The Philippines

July 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Philippines is culturally and historically rich country. Here are some historic shrines and monuments

from across the archipelago which serves as reminders of the rich culture and history of the country.

Rizal Park

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Rizal Park is situated in the heart of the city of Manila, the capital of the Philippines, overlooking Manila Bay.

Luneta has been the site of some of the most significant moments in Philippine history. Among them is the

execution of Dr. Jose Rizal on December 30, 1896, whose martyred death made him a hero of the Philippine

Revolution. It was officially renamed Rizal Park in tribute to him; the Declaration of Philippine Independence from

American rule on June 4, 1946; and the political rallies of Ferdinand Marcos and Corazon Aquino in 1986. The

monument also serves as the point of origin or Kilometer Zero to all other cities in the Philippines.

Lapu-Lapu Shrine

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This bronze statue of Lapu-Lapu is located in Mactan Shrine. Lapu-Lapu was the native chieftain of Mactan Island

who resisted the efforts of Magellan to subdue his people and be converted to Christianity and to be subjected to

the throne of Spain. The subsequent battle on April 27, 1521 between the Spaniards and Lapu-Lapu and his men

resulted to the death of Magellan. The shrine was erected on the supposed spot where the battle took place.

Magellan Shrine

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The Magellan shrine is a large memorial tower erected in honor of the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

The spot is believed to be the area where Magellan was killed in the Battle of Mactan on 1521, Philippines. The

monument measures 30 meters high and it is located in the place of Punta Engaño, Mactan Island, Cebu.

Blood Compact Site

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The famous Blood Compact Site is located in Bohol’s capital city, Tagbilaran. The historic site is the place where

one of the most important events in the Philippines’ history, the Blood Compact between Sikatuna, a native

chieftain and Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, the Spanish explorer and colonizer took place on March 16, 1565. The

Sikatuna-Legaspi blood compact is considered as the First Treaty of Friendship between peoples of different

races, religious, culture and civilization. It was a treaty of friendship based on mutual respect and equality.

Sultan Kudarat Monument

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This statue is a reminder that the Spaniards never succeeded in conquering the whole of Mindanao after sending

11 expeditions to conquer the island. This is the monument of Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat (1580, in

Lanao del Sur-?) the seventh Sultan of Maguindanao. He prevented the Spaniards from conquering his sultanate

in Mindanao. He was a direct descendant of Sharif Kabungsuan, a Muslim missionary in the 14th century.

Bonifacio Monument

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The most famous landmark of Caloocan City is the Monumento Circle which houses the Bonifacio Monument, a

famous monument to Andres Bonifacio. The name Monumento itself is derived from the Spanish word for

monument. Bonifacio is the founder of KKK, a revolutionary organization who started the revolution for Philippine

independence from Spanish colonization of the archipelago for more than 300 years.

Pinaglabanan Shrine

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Pinaglabanan Shrine is located on N.Domingo cor. Pinaglabanan Street in the city of San Juan, Metro Manila,

Philippines. The shrine has a statue of a woman supported by two children, holding up a bolo, or a machete.

This commemorates the first attack of the Filipinos against the Spanish on a warehouse in the area in 1896.

The statue can also be seen on the town seal.

McArthur Landing Site

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The McArthur Landing Site in Palo, Leyte was created to commemorate McArthur’s famous parting words “I Shall

Return” that he made good of his promise before he left the country after its downfall to the Japanese Imperial

Army during World War II. This famous event took place on October 20, 1944. The Allied landing on Leyte Island’s

shores was a pivotal moment in the history of the War in the Pacific and in the human struggle for liberty. The

Leyte landing is a central event in the long history of friendship between the peoples of the Philippines and the

United States.

Shrine of Valor (Dambana ng Kagitingan)

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Bataan Peninsula was the scene of harsh fighting between American-Filipino forces and the invading Japanese

forces. On April 9, 1942, the Bataan defenders surrendered to the Japanese. About 70,000 U.S. and Filipino

soldiers were captured. The Shrine of Valor (Dambana ng Kagitingan) atop Mt. Samat in Pilar was built in 1966 in

memory of those soldiers of World War II. It consists of the “Colonnade”, a marble capped structure with an altar,

esplanade and a museum. Inside the museum you can learn more about the battle of Bataan and the infamous

“Death March” that followed. The captured US & Filipino soldiers were forced to march more than a hundred

kilometers from Bataan to Tarlac. The great cross is a symbol of sacrifice of those who sacrificed their lives during

World War II. You can get to the top through a lift in 30 seconds and have a fantastic view of Manila Bay and the

Corregidor Island.

EDSA Shrine

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The Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace, Our Lady of EDSA, or more popularly, the EDSA Shrine is a small church

located at the intersection of Ortigas Avenue and EDSA in Quezon City. The shrine, built in 1989 originally to

commemorate the memories of the People Power Revolution and its peaceful outcome, stands on the site of two

peaceful demonstrations that ousted Philippine presidents Ferdinand Marcos (the People Power Revolution or

EDSA I) and Joseph Estrada (the EDSA II). It is officially called the “Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace” or “Our Lady

of Peace Quasi-Parish”, although these names are seldom used.

People Power Monument

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The People Power Monument, located at the corner of Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) and Katipunan

Avenue in Quezon City, is a sculpture commemorating the EDSA revolution.

Hope you enjoyed this. Thank you!

See also Modern-day HeroesPhilippine Events with Great Impact and Importance in World History

Written by nobertbermosa
I am a Secondary School Head Teacher III and currently enrolled for my doctorate degree at Araullo University. I also contribute to Triond and Factoid

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The Historical Character Dolls Of American Girl And Their Stories

July 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Collecting dolls has many purposes and one of them is its educational value to children. Just like with Our Generation Dolls which taught children about the values through reading books that came with the doll, the American Girl dolls came with the product line called “Historical Characters”. The line targets children of ages eight to thirteen years old and educates them about several focal points in American history.

Each historical character has a story to tell as written in their individual books. It opens the children’s mind to delicate topics that range from war to slavery. Yet the story lines are carefully written with great sensitivity to accommodate to the young children’s level of understanding. Some of the characters that were introduced in this product line are Addy Walker, Julie Allbright and Ivy Ling, Josefina Montoya, Kaya, Mollie McIntire and Emily Bennett, Kit Kittredge and Ruthie Smithens, and Rebecca Rubin. Each of the character’s stories engage children in reading books while teaching them important values as they grow up.

Like in the story of Addy, her story is about their escape from slavery to find the rest of her family members. Another character is the Mexican girl named Josefina who grew up in 1824. Her story tells about the relationship of American traders with her family. With the books about the Nez Perce character named Kaya, her adventures tell about her struggle to follow the virtues of her hero Swan Circling after being tagged as a selfish person when she failed to compete in a race with her brothers.

Rebecca Rubin on the other hand was a 9-year old girl who grew up in 1914 in New York City. She was of Russian and Jewish descent who dreamt of becoming a known actress only to be discouraged by her family’s traditional upbringing and conservative ideas. The historical characters have several books already made for each of them. The doll characters’ adventures and interesting relationships with their family will surely make the children who read their books value their own relationships with their parents and the people around them.

Nevertheless, a more budget friendly alternative to the American Dolls is Our Generation Dolls which have the same theme and charm to the younger generation. Anyone who would like to teach a piece of history to their children can use these dolls as an education tool that will also teach them about values and manners. On the other side of the spectrum, doll collectors can

If you would like to get started in collecting dolls, or introduce a loved one to the tradition of doll collecting it might be a good idea to start with dolls that interest them and are of relatively low cost. Our Generation Dolls are great for younger girls while Monster High Dolls might be better aimed at pre-teen and teenage young ladies.

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The famous historical experts HouRen for the Beijing comrade hu sequence

July 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Article by AndrewJames

Beijing the Chinese local Chronicles of the Beijing office presided compilation of comrade hu going to be published, this is about Beijing a major achievements in research of the culture construction of Beijing, is a great thing, and this is very happy to extend our heartfelt congratulations.As Beijing hutongs, the basic unit of the overall urban construction, and today’s Beijing’s predecessor, the yuan dynasty began together to yuan RMB 22 (1285 years).Has been 700 years of history.From its first appearance, we received many scholars’ attention.From Marco Polo to the modern world renowned architectural Eiler Steen master Ross muston (Rasmussen), beacon (Edmund N.B acon) to Beijing and such basic unit – hutong gave high attention, and praise.Many scholars are modern China to Beijing’s hutongs done a special study of Beijing’s hutongs, but a comprehensive, systematic, comprehensive record book is still very rare.Like the Beijing comrade hu “so to history to once had the origin, each strip hutong evolution, to live within and hutong celebrity, the historical events that happened is described, and match with maps and images have never had.Beijing’s hutongs contains very rich history, culture and customs, architecture, planning and so on various subjects, the scientific content for each subject study provide the inexhaustible science material.But recently, due to the development of the city and the rapid modernization, hutongs is less and less.For hundreds of years, Beijing’s hutongs after yuan, Ming and qing and the republic of China and the new China, until the early liberation, generally haven’t changed much.It witnessed Beijing’s historical changes, also suffered years baptism, hold people of historical events, famous figures memories.In the Beijing hutongs generations to provide the calm, serene, harmonious living space and raise generation after generation at the same time, they create a unique cultural landscape and hutong hutongs.All these have become beijingers hard of give feelings.Those who spread all over the world, they swept Beijing homesickness, townships dream, township, with Beijing’s hutongs are closely linked.How many Hispanic-American hutongs, will stop swept past memories. To evokeBeijing’s hutongs is a huge museum, from every village gate, brick, MenDun, tablet watts of ancient architecture can see art;From the burgeoning celebrity’s home, wangfu house, temples, Taoist temple, can make people feel Beijing that profound humanistic spirit, one greatly small hutong courtyards from the citizens of Beijing can understand life, including their way of life, and life interest, and neighborhood relationship, Beijing’s hutongs is life’s big classroom, people can draw nourishment from here, rich and enrich himself.Since the reform and open policy, Beijing is to modern international metropolis goal, Beijing urban construction is undergoing tremendous change, many hutong have disappeared or already change at all.How to correctly handle the international metropolis and protection of the ancient style of pair of contradictions, is the Beijing urban planning and construction ordeal.In the Beijing city master plan new “, the Beijing location for the country in the capital, is the country’s political center and cultural center, is the world capital of the minorities and historical and cultural city at the same time, to properly handle the historical and cultural city protection and modernization of the city, the relationship of the special historical and cultural city protection planning “.Believe has 3,000 years construction for more than eight hundred years history and history of ancient capital of Beijing, certainly can handle the modernization construction and urban renewal and protect the relationship.The ancient and charming in Beijing hutongs also must be in modernization construction coruscate gives new youth, let “Beijing comrade hu” in this work plays an important role.October 2006

Andrew James is working at Beijing Tours Travel Agency which is a reliable travel service company in Beijing providing various Beijing and China travel information, travel tips, culture knowledge and tour services. For taking tours of Beijing and China, please check beijing great wall tour for details.

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