Rizal Monument (Calamba)

The Rizal Monument in Calamba is a monument built to commemorate the sesquicentennial birth anniversary of Dr. José Rizal, the Philippines' national hero and the greatest son of Calamba. It is a 22m statue sculpted by Jonas Roces and is located at The Plaza, a 6.7ha park in front of the Calamba City Hall Complex along Bacnotan Road in the barangay of Real. President Benigno Aquino III led the unveiling of the monument on June 19, 2011. The monument was cited as the tallest Rizal monument in the world before former Laguna Governor Jeorge 'E.R.' Ejercito Estregan inaugurated a 26 feet bronze Rizal Monument sculpted by Toym Imao, son of National Artist for Sculpture Abdulmari Asia Imao in Santa Cruz, Laguna for the 2014 Palarong Pambansa hosted by the province.SymbolismsThe statue depicts Rizal holding a book in his right hand and is made of bronze. It stands 22 feet (6.7 meters) which symbolizes the 22 languages and dialects Rizal mastered during his time such as Spanish, English, German, Japanese, Chinese and others. It is placed on top of a 2.8 meter podium consisting of 15-step stairway which symbolizes one decade since Rizal was born in 1861. It also has a granite pedestal of 7.87 feet and a 13.12 feet circular stairway base. The monument's total height is 43 feet (equivalent to a four-storey building) and its weight is 2 tons.