Luneta Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Luneta Park is situated in the heart of the city of Manila, Philippines. It is at the northern end of Roxas Boulevard, overlooking Manila Bay.
It was called Bagumbayan in Spanish times, and became known later on as Luneta. It is also called Rizal Park, officially called so by 1917 in tribute to the Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. The body of the hero is said to lie under his memorial statue there, with ceremonial soldiers guarding the site. His poem, "Mi Ultimo Adios" ("My Final Goodbye") is inscribed in the memorial plaque.
The name "Luneta" is synonymous to the word lunette; the park was said to have the shape of a half moon in Spanish times, where it was beside a Spanish fort serving as a buffer during rebellions by the locals.
The park in modern times has become a local spot for families to have picnics on Sundays and holidays and a major tourist attraction of Manila. It has a small man-made lake with a replica of the Philippine archipelago in the middle. The park has recreational value as well, as bands, orchestras and other sorts of entertainment are provided for free in its open-air auditorium, aptly called "Concert at the Park". Other attractions of Rizal Park include the Chinese and Japanese Gardens, the Department of Tourism main office, the National Museum of the Filipino People, The National Library of the Philippines, the Planetarium, the monument of the Philippines' first hero, Lapu-Lapu, a fountain area, a children's lagoon, a chess plaza, a light and sound presentation, and the Quirino Grandstand.
It is also the starting point of all travels regarding distance in the Philippines. For example, the city of Baguio in the north is about 330 km from the city of Manila, specifically, Luneta Park.
On July 4, 1946, the fully-independent Republic of the Philippines was founded here. The highlight of the event was the simutanous lowering of the American Flag and raising of the Philippine flag at the tune of both nation's national anthems.
In January 1995, a mass was held here by Pope John Paul II for the World Youth Day, with a crowd of 5 million, the biggest yet of all foreign papal masses.
