The Cross of Mt. Samat: Bataan’s Shrine of Valor, Part by Part
The Dambana ng Kagitingan on Mt. Samat in Pilar, Bataan is the national memorial to the defenders of Bataan: a cross of about 92 m on a 555 m summit, and below it a marble colonnade, altar and war museum. Bataan fell here in April 1942. Go for the colonnade and the view across the peninsula, but call ahead about the cross. Its retrofit went to bid in late 2024 and the cross and elevator were reported closed in early 2026.
Mt. Samat, Pilar, Bataan · 14.6058° N, 120.5089° E · Photographed June 2024 · Checked October 27, 2026
What happened here
Filipino and American forces held Bataan for three months after the Japanese invasion of Luzon. Mt. Samat was the center of their last line. On 9 April 1942 Bataan surrendered, and tens of thousands of prisoners, commonly put at 60,000 to 80,000, were marched north from Mariveles and Bagac to San Fernando, Pampanga, a march of about 100 km remembered as the Death March. Thousands died on the road. Corregidor held out until 6 May. Every 9 April, Araw ng Kagitingan, the national commemoration is held on this mountain.
The shrine, part by part
Construction began on 14 April 1966 and the shrine opened in 1970. The architect was Lorenzo del Castillo; the sculptor Napoleon Abueva made the reliefs on the colonnade. The cross stands on the summit with a viewing gallery in its arms, about 27 m across, reached by an elevator inside the shaft. The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, which runs the shrine, gives the height as 92 m; the province uses 95 m.
Dambana ng Kagitingan · Pilar, Bataan
The shrine, part by part
Tap a part.
92 m on a 555 m summit
The Memorial Cross is about 92 m tall by the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office’s figure; the province uses 95 m. Its arms, about 27 m across, have a viewing gallery reached by an elevator inside the shaft.
The shrine below the cross
Lower down the summit is the Colonnade: a marble altar, an esplanade and reliefs by Napoleon Abueva of the Battle of Bataan. The war museum sits beneath it.
1942, 1966, 1970
Bataan fell on 9 April 1942. Work on the shrine began on 14 April 1966 under the architect Lorenzo del Castillo, and it opened in 1970. Every 9 April, Araw ng Kagitingan, the national commemoration is held here.
Check before you go
PVAO put a retrofit of the Memorial Cross out to bid in October 2024, and early 2026 reports had the cross and its elevator closed for the work. A reopening has not been confirmed. Call ahead to see what is open.
Heights from PVAO and the Bataan provincial government. Status from PVAO bid documents and 2026 reports; not confirmed on site. Checked October 27, 2026.
Status and fees
- The cross. PVAO put a retrofit of the Memorial Cross out to bid in October 2024, and early 2026 reports had the cross and its elevator closed for the work. A reopening has not been confirmed. Call PVAO or the shrine before you go if the cross is the reason for the trip.
- Fee. ₱50 was the last reported entrance fee. Not confirmed for 2026.
- At night. The cross and colonnade have had decorative lighting since 2023.
- What is next. TIEZA broke ground on a visitors complex on 9 April 2026.
How to get to Mt. Samat
From Manila, take a Genesis or other Balanga-bound bus, about three to four hours depending on traffic. From Balanga, take a jeepney toward Bagac and get off at the Mt. Samat junction in Pilar, then a tricycle up the zigzag road to the shrine. By car, the summit road is paved and steep; leave time for the climb.
Nearby
Corregidor, the island fortress that held out a month longer, is the other half of the story. For more hilltop memorials and shrines, see the roundup of shrines on hills. North in Zambales and Tarlac, Mt. Pinatubo is the next big day trip.
Bataan is where the defense held long enough to matter. The Freedom We Wear tee is for what that defense was for.
Suroy Wear · Heritage Threads
The freedom we wear.
For the ones who held Bataan, and the date the flag went up in 1898. ₱1,099.
Wear the story
Frequently asked questions
How tall is the cross on Mt. Samat?
About 92 m by the PVAO figure; the Bataan provincial government gives 95 m. It stands on a 555 m summit.
Is the Mt. Samat cross open?
Early 2026 reports had the cross and its elevator closed for retrofitting. A reopening has not been confirmed; call ahead.
How much is the entrance fee at Mt. Samat?
₱50 was the last reported fee. Not confirmed for 2026.
How do I get to Mt. Samat from Manila?
Bus to Balanga, jeepney toward Bagac to the Mt. Samat junction in Pilar, then a tricycle up.
Why is 9 April a holiday?
It is Araw ng Kagitingan, the Day of Valor, marking the fall of Bataan on 9 April 1942.
