Independence was proclaimed from a house window

The NHCP marker at the Aguinaldo Shrine identifies the centre window of the original family home as the location of the proclamation of independence on June 12, 1898.

It records Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista’s reading of the declaration and the public presentation of national symbols. A domestic building became a place associated with a national milestone.

The location adds a human scale to a national event. Rather than only picturing an abstract declaration, readers can connect the proclamation with a particular feature of a family home in Kawit.

The marker’s references to the reading and the symbols also show that the event combined words, place and ceremony. Visiting or studying the site can help explain how those parts were brought together in one public moment.

Source: National Historical Commission of the Philippines