American Colonial Period

Burnham Park
Burnham Park is named after Daniel Burnham, an American architect who was the city planner for
Baguio. He designed the park and the original plans for the city simultaneously, and construction began
around 1904. Burnham Park covers the only large expanse of level ground within hilly surroundings. The
modern park, although smaller than the original park due to urban development, retains much of its original
design and layout. The park played an important role when it served as a place of refuge for the people of
Baguio following a devastating earthquake in 1990. Burnham (1846-1912) was one of Chicago's greatest
architects and planners, whose Philippine resume includes Dewey (now Roxas Boulevard) in Manila,
Philippines as well as Baguio City itself, which was both a bustling mining and and recreational town!
Mr. Burham had grand visions for everything he designed. In 1904, the Philippine
capital city of Manila, he developed the areas outside the walled city of Intramuros,
with a great emphasis on classic-al buildings and wide open spaces, taking into
consideration the Philippines' Spanish influence as Spain had just six years before
turned the Philippines over to the Americans.
For Baguio, he 'forced' a splendid geometric pattern amid rolling hills and wind-ing
roads, which is what we know now as Burnham Park, around which the rest of the
city was built.
Burnham Park is named after Daniel Burnham, an American architect who was the
city planner for Baguio. He designed the park and the original plans for the city
simultaneously, and construction began around 1904. Burnham Park covers the only large expanse of level
ground within hilly surroundings. The modern park, although smaller than the original park due to urban
development, retains much of its original design and layout. The park played an important role when it
served as a place of refuge for the people of Baguio following a devastating earthquake in 1990.
 Japanese Colonial Period

Oblation Statue
The Oblation is the masterpiece of first National Artist for Sculpture Guillermo Tolentino. In 1935,
Guillermo was commissioned by then University President Rafael Palma to craft a monument that would
express in visual form the second stanza of Jose Rizal’s "Mi Ultimo Adios" (“Last Farewell”). The concrete
statue painted in bronze stands 3.5 meters high (to represent the 350 years of Spanish colonization of the
Philippines) on a pile of rocks symbolizing the islands of the Philippines. Funding for the statue was raised
through a two-month fund campaign that garnered P2,000. The model for the statue has been widely
rumored to be Fernando Poe, Sr., though there are sources that claim that the real model was Tolentino’s
student apprentice Anastacio Caedo. The original Oblation was unveiled in 1939 in Ermita, Manila by
Gregoria de Jesus de Nakpil, widow of hero Andres Bonifacio. On the occasion of the university's 40th
anniversary, the Oblation was moved from UP Manila to UP Diliman along with the administrative offices.
The Oblation located at the end of University Avenue in the UP Diliman campus is merely a replica of the
original one located at the 3rd floor of the UP Diliman Main Library. Several replicas of the Oblation have
been made for the different campuses of the University.
The Oblation shows a man with arms outstretched, head tilted upwards, eyes closed, as if offering
himself. This is artist Tolentino's interpretation of "that sublime stanza". Tolentino also says: "the statue
stands on a rustic base, a stylized rugged shape of the Philippine archipelago, lined with big and small hard
rocks, each of which represents an island. The “katakataka” (wonder plant) whose roots are tightly
implanted on Philippine soil, is the link that binds the symbolized figure to the allegorical Philippine Group.
“Katakataka” is really a wonder plant. It is called siempre vivo (always alive) in Spanish. A leaf or a piece
of it thrown anywhere will sprout into a young plant. Hence, it symbolizes the deep-rooted patriotism in
the heart of our heroes. Such patriotism continually and forever grows anywhere in the Philippines." Each
of the four sides of the monument's base are inscribed with quotes that speak of willingness to serve and
give one's life for one's country. The front of the pedestal holds a passage from El Filibusterismo. On the
back of the pedestal is the second stanza of "Mi Ultimo Adios", and another stanza from the same poem
adorns the right side. On the left side is a poem by Andres Bonifacio, "Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa".
 Spanish Colonial Period

Langit, Lupa, at Impyerno

This is another magnificent work of Jose Luciano Dans. It is divided into three sections. The upper
part depicts the heaven, with the crucifixion of Christ. In the middle, world is given emphasis by two figures
in the center of the painting: Adam and Eve standing below the Tree of Knowledge. Right below is hell,
easily identified by the suffering faces of the humans painted there. Different punishments were given to
the sinners with different transgressions, ones which were probably done during their mortal experience.
When the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines in 1521, the colonizers used art as a tool to propagate
the Catholic faith through beautiful images. With communication as problem, the friars used images to
explain the concepts behind Catholicism, and to tell the stories of Christ’s life and passion. Images of the
Holy Family and the saints were introduced to the Filipino psyche through carved santos, the via crucis
(Stations of the Cross), engravings on estampas and estampitas, and through paintings on church walls.