Mount Samat National Shrine
| Mount Samat National Shrine | |
|---|---|
| |
The shrine in May 2023 | |
Location in Luzon Location in the Philippines | |
| Type | Memorial |
| Location | Pilar, Bataan, Philippines |
| Coordinates | 14°36′20.80″N 120°30′32.17″E / 14.6057778°N 120.5089361°E |
| Area | 73,665 hectares (182,030 acres) |
| Created | 1970 |
| Operated by | Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority Philippine Veterans Affairs Office |
| Open | All year round |
| Status | National Shrine April 8, 1967 |
The Mount Samat National Shrine (Tagalog pronunciation: [samat]), also known as the Shrine of Valor (Filipino: Dambana ng Kagitingan), is a historical shrine located near the summit of Mount Samat in Pilar, Bataan, Philippines. The memorial complex was built to honor and remember the gallantry of Filipino and American soldiers who fought against the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.
Comprising a colonnade and the large Memorial Cross, the park was commissioned in 1966 by President Ferdinand Marcos to commemorate the 25th anniversary of World War II. The white Memorial Cross stands as a remembrance of the soldiers who fought and lost their lives in the Battle of Bataan. The shrine complex also includes a war museum featuring a wide array of collections, from paintings of Philippine heroes to armaments used by Filipino, American, and Japanese forces during the battle.
From the colonnade and the cross, there is a panoramic view of Bataan, the island of Corregidor, and, on a clear day, the city of Manila, located about 50 kilometers (31 mi) across Manila Bay.