Quezon City Memorial Circle
President Quezon by Guillermo Tolentino
The Quezon City Memorial Circle is an ellipsoidal park bounded by the Elliptical Road. The Quezon Memorial Monument was built in honor of the late President Manuel L. Quezon, located inside the rotunda of the Quezon Memorial Circle. It is the tallest landmark in the biggest city of Metro Manila. The shrine is inside a 27-hectare circular park that has various shopping stalls, food establishments and the Manuel Quezon Memorial Shrine, designed by Filipino architect Federico Ilustre and the World Peace Bell Shrine.
The Quezon Shrine houses a mausoleum containing the remains of Manuel L. Quezon, the second President of the Philippines, and his wife, First Lady Aurora Quezon and the Quezon Museum where a perpetual exhibit of mementos of the former president are encased. The site was originally intended as the grounds of the National Capitol to be built in Quezon City to house the Congress of the Philippines. The location was also part of a larger National Government Center located around Elliptical Road and the Quezon City Quadrangle (made up of the North, South, East, and West Triangles).
This Quezon Monument consists of three vertical pylons that represents the three main geographic divisions of the country: Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao, with a height of 66 meters tall, symbolizing Quezon's age when he died. It is topped by three mourning angels, each holding wreaths of sampaguita, the national flower. The adorning angels, which represent the birth, life and death, were sculpted by the Italian sculptor Monti.
The construction of the Quezon Memorial began in 1952 but it proceeded slowly, partly due to the cost of importing Carrara marble from Italy. The marble was brought in blocks and then carved and shaped on-site. There were also problems associated with the theft of the marble blocks and the management of memorial funds. The monument was finally completed in 1978 inj time for the celebration of Pres. Quezon’s 100th birthday.
President Quezon died on August 1, 1944 in Saranac Lake, New York and was first buried at Arlington Cemetery. His remains were then brought back home in the Philippines after 2 years on July 27, 1946 and was buried at the Manila North Cemetery. His remains were reinterred at the Quezon Memorial Shrine on August 19, 1979. It was during that time that, by virtue of a presidential decree, President Ferdinand E. Marcos declared the site as a National Shrine.
The museum is open to the public free of charge, from Tuesdays to Saturdays (8:30 am to 5pm).
Landmarks near the Quezon Memorial Circle
Shopping establishments
TriNoMa Shopping Mall – 1.7 km away
SM City North EDSA – 2.1 km away
Rustan’s Department Store – 2.4 km away
UP Shopping Center – 2.5 km away
Cherry Congressional – 2.5 km away
Parks and commons
Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife – 0.7 km away
King Louis Garden – 1.3 km away
Schools and universities
Holy Family School – 0.9 km away
Claret School of Quezon City – 0.9 km away
Philippine Science High School – 1 km away
U.P. Diliman – 1.6 km away
How to Get There
From North Avenue
At/Going to: Directions:
1. Elliptical Road Turn right from North Avenue
2. Quezon Memorial Circle Follow the Elliptical Road
From Cubao
1. EDSA Go straight ahead (EDSA north-bound)
2. East Avenue Turn right from EDSA
3. Elliptical Road Turn right from Elliptical Road
4. Quezon Memorial Shrine Follow the Elliptical Road
Alternatively,
1. EDSA Go straight ahead (EDSA north-bound)
2. Quezon Avenue Turn right from EDSA
3. Elliptical Road Turn right from Quezon Avenue
4. Quezon Memorial Shrine Follow the Elliptical Road
At/Going to: Directions:
1. Elliptical Road Turn right from North Avenue
2. Quezon Memorial Circle Follow the Elliptical Road
From Cubao
1. EDSA Go straight ahead (EDSA north-bound)
2. East Avenue Turn right from EDSA
3. Elliptical Road Turn right from Elliptical Road
4. Quezon Memorial Shrine Follow the Elliptical Road
Alternatively,
1. EDSA Go straight ahead (EDSA north-bound)
2. Quezon Avenue Turn right from EDSA
3. Elliptical Road Turn right from Quezon Avenue
4. Quezon Memorial Shrine Follow the Elliptical Road