Formerly known as Plaza Alfonso XII, the Plaza Libertad is one the six plazas scattered among the districts of Iloilo City. Most, if not all of the plazas found in the city are of Spanish influence. The plazas are beautifully landscaped and are surrounded by essential establishment such as a town center, a police station, schools and a public market. One of the more popular plazas found in the city is Plaza Libertad.
Located at the end of Calle Real, Plaza Libertad has served as a leisure place for residents of Iloilo. It has been witness to important and historical events in Iloilo and in the Philippines. One of which is the raising of the first Philippine flag after the Spaniards surrendered Iloilo on December 25, 1898.
Plaza Libertad is surrounded by different government offices, numerous banks and ancestral houses. On the Northwest face of the plaza is the newly constructed Iloilo City Hall. On the other side of the plaza is the San Jose Parish Church. It is the home of the Santo Nino during the Dinagyang Festival. Built by the Jesuits in 1607, it is the first church in the city of Iloilo. During World War II, the church was saved from being bombed by the Americans and renovated from 1980-82. To this day, it is one of the few parishes in the Philippines under the Augustinians.
At the center of the plaza stands a monument of the Philippines’ national hero, Jose Rizal and is just one of the many monuments in the city dedicated to Dr. Jose Rizal.