Jose Rizal’s Amazing Facts You Probably Didn’t Know Yet
Jose P. Rizal, doctor and National hero and his name will always be present in our memories. So here are 12 unique facts you don’t know yet:
- There are three animals named after him.
A small beetle (Heller), known also as “Apogonia Rizali”, “Dracoli Rizali” (Wandolleck), a species of flying dragon, and “Rachophorous Rizali” (Boetger), a species of toad.
These spcies of animals were collected by Rizal himself while he was an exile in Dapitan. - The Rizal Monument in Luneta was not made by a Filipino.
It was Richard Kissling, a Swiss sculptor who designed it, winning 2nd prize in an art competition in 1907 in finding the best scale model for the future Rizal monument.
Italian sculptor Carlo Nicoli of Carrara won the frist prize but for some reason, it was agreed to be given to the second-prize winner. - “Mi Retiro” is the name of his place of exile in Dapitan.
It was inspired by his favourite park in Spain, Parque del Buen Retiro.
Jose Rizal’s clinic before - Jose Rizal pawned a ring owned by his sister Saturnina just to pay for his exams.
He was studying in Spain when he pawned it but didn’t want his family to worry, instead he only told bout his excellent grades and victories in the letters addressed to them. - Jose Rizal cured himself of tuberculosis. He was then later recognized as a tuberculosis expert.
- He was a terrific sculptor at a very young age. Rizal carved a 9-inch statuette of the Sacred Heart out of batikuling wood when he was only 14.
- Rizal is also called “Father of Philippine Comics” by many. He made some humorous illustrations when he was in Germany. It was inspired by the German cartoon “Max and Moritz” entitled “The Baptism of Two Brothers”.
The original copy is preserved in the National Library of the Philippines.
- Rizal’s favorite fruits are lanzones and mangoes.
Rizal was featured in cigarette wrappers. It was produced in Binondo during the turn-of-the-century. The old cigarette labeled as “Las Delicias” featuring Rizal smoking a cigar. - Rizal’s original execution photo features a dog, the mascot of the firing squad. Unknown to majority, it is said that the dog started whining around the corpse after Rizal was shot in the head, making sure by the soldier he was d3ad.
- There were 8 Filipinos armed with Remingtons forming the firing squad. Did you know that those Filipino soldiers was ready to be shot by the Spaniards if they refuse to shoot Jose Rizal?
- Jose Rizal stuffed unknown papers in his pockets and shoes before the execution. Expecting his body would be returned to his family, he did this, but his remains was dumped by the Spaniards in an unknown area in Paco cemetery. Contents of the papers were never identified.
- He had a third, unfinished novel known as “Makamisa”. This unfinished artwork started while he was in Hongkong in 1892. It wasn’t actually the title of his work, but only the title of a single chapter of the unfinished Tagalog Novel.
There are still a lot of things that Dr. jose Rizal has done in the history, being one of the most intelligent and influential persons in the Philippine history.