The Place Where a Hero Spent Last Days

After a long and tiring yet grace-filled papal visit on Jan 15-19, 2015 I decided to go on a foot travel to the famous walled city of "Intramuros." Without any traveler's kit at hand, any map, gprs, travel guides, etc. with only the anecdote from Pope Francis when we met him at the Papal Encounter with the Youth at UST 'be surprised' I braved this historic Spanish settlement who played a major part in the 333 years of Spanish colonization in the country. This was the old and original Manila which served as a settlement to the then serving government of the country.

This landmark is also famous for it served as the detention place of the country's National Hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal whose cell is a major attraction inside Fort Santiago. The last days of this National Hero's life were spent inside one of the cold dungeons of this Fort which is inside Intramuros before he was executed at Bagumbayan which is now Luneta Park.

The Dambana ni Rizal is a mini-museum which hold artifacts from the significant happenings in the life of Dr. Rizal. It is the place where Rizal was sentenced and showcases the room where he was detained and from where his last work was written: Mi Ultimo Adios.

The lamp which was used by Rizal to hide this last work is on display in this museum together with the scanned copy of this last work of Rizal.

Rizal is famous to have sparked the revolution with his two novels. The first one entitled "Noli Me Tangere" or "Touch Me Not" and the other is a sequel entitled "El Filibusterismo." The title of the first novel was a phrase taken by Rizal from the Gospel of John as an admonition by the risen Lord to Mary Magdalene.

Original copies of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo is on display inside the museum. These two published novels of Rizal were followed by a third unpublished sequel entitled 'Makamisa.' This third work was stopped by Rizal because he has difficulty in his Tagalog.

Rizal is dubbed as the many splendoured genius. This is due to the many talents he had developed and acquired in his short lived years. Aside from being a novelist and a writer, he is hailed to be a servant of art. He is a genius in music, painting, sculpture and even in performing arts.

Sculptures made by Rizal were also on display inside the museum. These works were specially made by Rizal using the earth of Dapitan.

Aside from the works of art made by the hands of Rizal, the museum also holds several of the Hero's personal tools and equipment for his profession as a doctor, calling cards and fountain pens. It also holds the certificates and diplomas of Rizal during his school years and from contests he won.

The Dambana ni Rizal has ticket costing Php 75 for regular and Php 50 for students.