Sunday, November 07, 2010

"By Federico Ilustre"

Manuel L. Quezon was the first Filipino president (1935–1944) of the Commonwealth of the Philippines under the U.S. This is the Quezon Memorial, designed by Filipino architect Federico Ilustre. It is made of Carrara marble and is 66 meters high, the age of President Quezon when he died. The three pylons represent Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the three main geographical divisions of the country. On top are sculptures of mourning angels holding sampaguita—the national flower—wreaths, designed by the Italian sculptor Francesco Riccardo Monti. The structure isn't just a memorial—it is a mausoleum holding the remains of President Quezon and his wife, Aurora. The little door at the base leads to a small museum containing Quezon's presidential memorabilia.

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