Dapitan City Plaza
In front of the Church of St. James the Greater is the Dapitan City Plaza (“Liwasan ng Dapitan”), also known as the City Square. During his exile, Dr. Jose Rizal beautified and developed this plaza. With the assistance of Spanish Politico-Military Governor of Dapitan, Gov. Ricardo Carnicero, he made the plaza comparable to the ones he saw in Europe.
Check out “Church of St. James the Greater”
With an estimated land area of 1 hectare, the plaza was laid out in the traditional rectilinear Spanish colonial manner. The plaza was already in existence when Dr. Jose P. Rizal arrived in on July 17, 1892.
With the P500 one of his patients paid him, Rizal equipped the town with lighting system, as part of Carnicero’s project, using coconut oil lamps hung on trees and cut tree trunks placed around the plaza. Rizal also beautified Dapitan by planting white santans, red gumamelas and acacia trees.
Relief Map of Mindanao
With the help of Francisco Paula de Sanchez, his teacher in Ateneo de Manila (he studied here from 1872-77), he also made a huge relief map of Mindanao (based on the map done by French Jesuit Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde in 1752) out of earth, stones and grass during his first two months in Dapitan. Located in the southeast part of the plaza, he intended it to be a teaching aid for geography and history lessons. On June 20, 2005, the Relief Map was declared by the National Museum as a National Cultural Treasure.
The Jose Rizal Monument (center). On the left is the kiosk
Before Dr. Jose P. Rizal became the country’s National Hero, a kiosk was located in the center of the plaza. Later, the kiosk was moved to the northwest side to give way to the monument in honor of Rizal. The two cannons, formerly placed on top of Ilihan Hill, can now be found in the north of the plaza. Except for its elevated border (constructed in 1996), the City Plaza has maintained its original design.
Dr. Jose Rizal Monument
The plaque at the Dr. Jose P. Rizal’s monument has snippets from one of his letters written in Spanish in 1893. It states: “Yo estoy dispuesto a hacer todo lo que pueda en obsequio de este pueblo. No tengo inconveniente ninguno en quedarme para siempre en este distrito” (“I’m willing to do everything I can for the sake of the people. I have no problem to stay forever in this district”).
Casa Real Historical Plaque
Near the plaza is a plaque marking the site of the Casa Real where Dr. Jose P. Rizal stayed with Governor Ricardo Carnicero, from his arrival until he moved to Rizal Shrine at barangay Talisay in March 1893.
Check out “Rizal Park and Shrine”
Pablo Page Ancestral House
Around the plaza are a number of old structures and ancestral houses, all part of t he Dapitan Heritage Zone or Dapitan Historic Center. Most are in dire need of major repair.
Office of the Sangguniang Panglungsod
They include the Antera Adaza Bajamunde residence (Justice Florentino Saguin St.), the Philippine Coconut Authority Office, the Public Services Division of Dapitan, the Office of the Senior Citizens Association and the Office of the Sangguniang Panglungsod.
Office of the Senior Citizens Association
Philippine Coconut Authority Office
The Antera Adaza Bajamunde Residence, more popularly known as the Pablo Page Ancestral House, was built in 1919.
Public Services Division of Dapitan
Dapitan City Tourism Office: Josephine Bracken St., Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte. Mobile numbers:(0977) 803-1497 (Globe) and (0908) 884-1650 (Smart).