THE QUEZON MEMORIAL CIRCLE 1970s

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. Only the foundations were in place when construction was interrupted by the beginning of the Second World War in the Philippines.

After World War II, President Sergio Osmeña issued an executive order stipulating the creation of a Quezon Memorial Committee to raise funds by public subscription to erect a memorial to his predecessor, President Manuel L. Quezon. A national contest for the Quezon Memorial Project was held in 1951. Filipino architect Federico S. Ilustre's design won the contest. Construction of the Quezon Memorial began in 1952 but proceeded slowly, in part due to the cost of importing Carrara marble, brought in blocks and then carved and shaped on-site.

The monument was finally completed in 1978, the centennial of Manuel Quezon's birth. His remains were reinterred in the memorial on August 19, 1979. On April 28, 2005, the remains of Mrs. Aurora Quezon, widow of the president, were solemnly re-interred in the memorial as well.