Intramuros Manila, Laguna, and More: Here are 6 of Dr Jose Rizal's Houses

There are houses whose stories were tarnished by time and there are those that enjoy an indelible history. In this article, Tatler lists the houses that raised a hero

1. Rizal's Ancestral Home

Above Rizal's ancestral home in Laguna (Photo: Pinay Photography Blogspot)

Tucked in the streets of Laguna is a two-storey Spanish colonial home where Rizal was born. Many of the hero's anecdotes often reference this house—the nipa-hut in the garden where he learned to sculpt, the kitchen where he learned the alphabet, the bedroom where he used to pray, the library where he read books, and more.

Historical accounts say that Rizal's father, Francisco Rizal Mercado, took two years to build the ancestral house. In 1891, it was confiscated by the friars, but Paciano Rizal was able to retrieve it during the Philippine Revolution.

During World War II, the house was destroyed and it was eventually demolished. In 1949, under President Elpidio Quirino's Executive Order no. 145, the house was restored to its former glory. Today, it serves as a repository for the hero's memorabilia.

Tatler Trivia: The ancestral home of Rizal was inspired by the bahay-na-bato (stone houses), the most common house and lot styles in Laguna during the Spanish colonial period. Its windows are made of capiz shells, while its other parts were built with stones, bricks, and hardwood.

In Case You Missed It: Bahay na Bato: Parts of a Stately Filipino House During the Spanish Colonial Era

2. Madrid Apartments

The following were Rizal's apartments during his Madrid sojourn

Calle Amor de Dios 13-15
Calle Fernandez y Gonzalez 8, 3º-4
Calle Ventura de la Vega
Calle Gran Via
Calle del Barquillo 34, 4º
Calle Pizarro 15Calle Cedaceros 11, piso principal

As an ilustrado (a person who belonged to the educated class), Rizal was able to travel to Europe to learn from different professors; however, his home situation in Spain was plagued with challenges due to budget shortage. At the time, the poet only had PHP35 to PHP50 monthly budget, making him hop from one apartment to another.

3. The Studio of Juan Luna in Paris

Juan Luna's studio apartment in Paris ; Jose Rizal is at the right, along with Juan Luna y Novicio (holding a palette) and Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, and an unidentified man on the left, sitting beside one of Luna's famous paintings titled Odalisque (Photo: Rizalinfo.net)

Above Juan Luna's studio apartment in Paris ; Jose Rizal is at the right, along with Juan Luna y Novicio (holding a palette) and Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, and an unidentified man on the left, sitting beside one of Luna's famous paintings titled Odalisque (Photo: Rizalinfo.net)

Colorised version of Juan Luna's studio apartment in Paris ; Jose Rizal is at the right, along with Juan Luna y Novicio (holding a palette) and Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, and an unidentified man on the left, sitting beside one of Luna's famous paintings titled Odalisque (Photo colorised by Kinulayang Nakaraan)

Above Colorised version of Juan Luna's studio apartment in Paris ; Jose Rizal is at the right, along with Juan Luna y Novicio (holding a palette) and Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, and an unidentified man on the left, sitting beside one of Luna's famous paintings titled Odalisque (Photo colorised by Kinulayang Nakaraan)

In 1883, Rizal went to Paris, France for a vacation; he stayed with his friend Juan Luna, a renowned painter and a fellow ilustrado.

Luna's art studio and apartment, which was located at 65 Boulevard Arago in the 13th arrondissement, became Rizal's home for a short period. There, Rizal was often seen posing for a few of Luna's works, most notably as Sikatuna in The Blood Compact (El Pacto de Sangre, 1886).

4. The Wilhelmsfeld Vicarage in Wilhelmsfeld, Germany

The vicarage in Wilhelmsfeld, Germany where Rizal stayed and wrote the last chapters of his novel Noli Me Tangere (Photo and caption: Malou Francisco, EBC Europe Bureau, Eagle News Service)

Above The vicarage in Wilhelmsfeld, Germany where Rizal stayed and wrote the last chapters of his novel Noli Me Tangere (Photo and caption: Malou Francisco, EBC Europe Bureau, Eagle News Service)

In 1886, Rizal travelled to Germany and stayed in the quarters of Pastor Karl Ullmer and his family. The former met the latter when he strolled on the slopes of Odenwald, Heidelberg one day. Rizal was able to immerse himself in German culture and learned the language eventually.

Tatler Trivia: Rizal began writing the last few chapters of Noli Me Tangere in the house of pastor Ullmer.

5. No 2 Rednaxela Terrace in Mid-Levels, Hong Kong

Photo 1 of 2 Rednaxela Terrace in Hong Kong where Rizal once lived (Photo: Giselle Kasilag)

Photo 2 of 2 Rednaxela Terrace in Hong Kong where Rizal once lived (Photo: Giselle Kasilag)

Somewhere in Mid-Levels, Hong Kong was an apartment that Rizal and his family occupied from 1891 to 1892. In this country, he worked as an eye clinician and used a space in 5 D’Aguilar Street, Central District as his opthalmologist clinic.

José Rizal, one of the Philippine national heroes, was imprisoned here before his execution in 1896. The Rizal Shrine museum displays memorabilia of the hero in their collection and the fort features, embedded onto the ground in bronze, his footsteps representing his final walk from his cell to the location of the actual execution.

See more: See Hong Kong’s Hidden Traditional Villages Before They Disappear

6. Intramuros

Above Fort Santiago (Photo: Manila Bulletin)

The House of Doña Concha Leyva

As a student, Rizal stayed in the house of Doña Concha Leyva in Intramuros. Next door, was the quarters of Capital Juan and Capitana Sanday Valenzuela, the parents of Leonor "Orang" Valenzuela, the hero's childhood sweetheart for 11 years. Even without a special occasion, Rizal would always stay and impress the Valenzuela's with hit cleverness and sleight-of-hand tricks.

Rizal was strongly attached to Valenzuela and pursued her by sending love letters with invisible ink that one can only read when it is heated over a candle or lamp. The ink is a mixture of substances that he learned from his chemistry class.

Fort Santiago

Fort Santiago was the place of Rizal's execution in 1898. The place also served as barracks for Spanish artillery soldiers during Spain's colonisation. During his stay here, the hero wrote his famous poem Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell) and hid it in an oil lamp that was given to her sister Trinidad.

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Topics

Hero Homes

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The Walls That Built a Hero: The Houses Where Dr Jose Rizal Stayed