Prior to the park, the area served as a temporary burial site of the Santo Tomas Internment Camp during the World War II.
[6] The lanes have alternating terracotta, gray, and white colored cobblestones arranged in an interplay of squares and vertical lines.
[7] The plaza underwent an extensive renovation for the quadricentennial celebration, but the Benavides Monument's raised circular base and the path that contained the Chinese tombstone were left relatively unaltered.
[15] When Queen Sofía of Spain visited UST in 2012, she was welcomed by the university rector at Rizal Lane before laying a wreath at the Benavides Statue.
Student-athletes from the 8 participating schools passed through the Arch of the Centuries and Rizal Lane in a parade leading to the Plaza Mayor.