A Visit to Jose Rizal's House

Tuesday, May 22, 2007
A Visit to Jose Rizal's House
I am an admirer of Rizal for as long as I can remember. As a child, I heard countless stories about his greatness and bravery. Well, I don't know if all the stories I've heard were true, but one thing I am certain of, Jose Rizal was a great man. Like most schoolchildren, I learned from school his life and works, that he wrote two novels, and that he was shot by the Spaniards. Back then, I was very angry at the Spaniards.

As a Manila student in the 1990s I collected books about Rizal. I usually bought my books in the bangketas of Recto. Some of my early books on Rizal were the biographies by Zaide, Palma, Leon Ma. Guerrero, and Austin Coates. All these books gave me a fascinating insight on the national hero. I still keep these books and I read them from time to time, especially when I'm not so busy reading my recent Playboy issue.

Thinking about Rizal one summer afternoon, I decided to drive to Laguna and visit the birthplace of my hero. From Cubao, it took me almost two hours to reach Calamba. I arrived at at three in the afternoon and quickly found the old house of Dr. Rizal.

Rizal's parents were Don Francisco Mercado and Donya Teodora Alonso, a well-to-do couple who originally came from Binan, Laguna. After they married, Rizal's parents migrated to Calamba where they built one of the first stone and hardwood houses there. The house was patterned after the Spanish architectural style that was popular among the ilustrados of the 19th century.

On June 19, 1861, Rizal was born inside that house and was the seventh among the eleven children of Francisco and Teodora. He was baptized “José Rizal Mercado” at the Calamba Church right next door. Older siblings of Rizal Young Jose was the first in the family to use the name Rizal in accordance with the decree of Governor Claveria to change the surnames of Filipinos.
In 1891, due to Rizal's activism, the family came under suspicion of the friars who own the land where the Rizal house stood. Rizal’s family was driven away due to pressure from the friars and the house was sold to a Spaniard Don Isidro for 24,000 Philippine pesos. The Rizal family transferred to Hongkong for sometime (other family members sought refuge with relatives in Binan)
The house was destroyed during the Second World War and after the war, the Philippine government bought what remains of the property for 27,000 pesos. The house was rebuilt exactly as it was before using as reference old photos, the written memoirs of Rizal, and the recollections of Rizal's surviving siblings.
Viewing the house today, I realized that Rizal's family was actually very rich during young Rizal's childhood. Imagine a huge house like this during the Spanish times, complete with daughters' bedroom, sons' bedrooms, two dining rooms, a master's bedroom, a library, a living room,cocina, and toilet and bath! Not to mention the garage for the horse-drawn carriage owned by the family, and the huge backyard. Indeed, only the richest principalias of town like the Rizal’s were the only ones able to build a house like this.
Today, though, it has become a shrine that serves as a museum containing some original furniture, books, memorabilias that belonged to the Rizal family (donated by Rizal family).On the grounds is a statue of the boy Rizal and his pet dog. The lot is also where Rizal’s parent’s remains were transferred.
I have photographed the entire house of Jose Rizal from room to room, including the bathroom and I would like to invite you to visit the Rizal old house one day. But if you're too busy to go out of town, then consider this virtual tour as a pre-tour guide to your future visit someday.

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[pic]The famous landmark of Calamba, the gigantic jar which has all the Calamba towns written on its surface.

[pic]The street where he lived..the town plaza is at the left side and the town's church at the right.

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This is the house of Dr. Jose Rizal. I think that the original house was destroyed many years ago, and that this one is just a replica.

[pic]A frontal view

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A historical marker

[pic]The grand staircase that leads to the main hall of the house

[pic]The karwahe (carriage) of the Rizal family, still intact after all those years. Unfortunately, the horse died many many years ago.

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The living room.

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A window in the living room

[pic]A view from the front window of the Rizal house.

[pic]The comida or the dining room

[pic]The main dining room

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The platera

[pic]The cocina

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Rizal's bedroom. The bed maybe was a replica of the original one used by Rizal.

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The family well located at the back of the house

[pic]A most important seat in the house. No flush.

[pic]The back of the Rizal house

[pic]The little nipa playhouse that Rizal's father built for his son, Pepe

[pic]The Church of Calamba.
Posted by Dennis Villegas at 6:33 AM [pic]