CHAPTER 9: RIZAL’S GRAND TOUR OF EUROPE WITH VIOLA (1887)
BACKGROUND
 Rizal planned to visit the important places of Europe
 Dr. Maximo Viola travel companion of Rizal
Viola was an active member of propaganda
movement in Madrid. He is the first man who read
the Noli Me Tangere. He also help to publish the
book. Without his generous help, Noli might never
have seen print.
 P 1,000 - a remittance that came from Paciano
(Rizal’s brother) forwarded by Juan Luna from Paris
in order to give it to Rizal.
 P 300 - amount that Rizal paid to Viola, so that Noli
could be printed
THE TOUR BEGINS
 May 11, 1887 - tour begins, Rizal and Viola left
Berlin by the use of train.
 After Berlin, they are going to Dresden
DRESDEN
 One of the best cities in Germany
 Went to floral exposition (exhibit)
 Visited Dr. Adolph B. Meyer
 Visited Museum of Art - Prometheus Bound
 At Floral exhibit they met Dr. Jagor
 They left Dresden and went to Teschen as next
stopover.
 They sent wire to Blumentritt
LEITMERITZ
 May 13, 1887 at 1:30pm, they arrived in the
railroad station where Prof. Ferdinand
Blumentritt was there.
 Blumentritt helped the two get a room at Hotel
Krebs.
 They stayed there from May 13-16, 1887.
MEMORIES IN LEITMERITZ
 Enjoying the warm hospitality of the Blumentritt
family.
 They went to a beer garden in Bohemia.
 They attended a meeting of the Tourist’s Club of
Leitmeritz where Blumentritt was the secretary.
 He met Dr. Carlos Czepalak, a Polish scholar.
 He was introduced to Prof. Robert Klutschak, a
wellknown scholar.
 Last night in Leitmeritz, they proposed a dinner to
Blumentritt’s family at their hotel.
 May 16, at 9:45 am, they left Leitmeritz by train.
PRAGUE
 They went to Dr. Willkomm, professor of natural
history in University of Prague.
 They visited Tomb of Copernicus: Museum of
Natural History Bacteriological Laboratories Cave
of San Juan Nepomoceno
 After this, they went to Brunn.
BRUNN
 Rizal wrote a letter to Blumentritt and he told him
that he forgot his diamond stickpin at his room in
Hotel Krebs.
 Nothing important happened in this city
according to Viola.
VIENNA
 On May 20, they arrived in the “Queen of the
Danube” - Vienna.
 He met Norfenfals, great novelist in Europe. He
spoke highly of Rizal, “whose genius he so much
admired”.
 Rizal received his lost diamond stickpin.
 They stayed in Hotel Metropole.
 They visited : churches, art galleries, public parks,
museums, theatres
 They met two good Austrian scholars who are
friend of Blumentritt: Masner and Nordmann
DANUBIAN VOYAGE TO LINTZ
 May 24, 1887 - They left Vienna on a river boat to
see the beautiful sights of the Danube River
 Rizal noticed that the passengers on the river boat
used paper napkins during meals. Viola
commented that paper napkins were “more
hygienic and economical than cloth napkins”
FROM LINTZ TO RHEINFALL
 Munich - where they sojourned for a short time to
savor the famous Munich beer. Reputed to be the
Best in Germany.
 Nuremberg - one of the oldest cities of Germany
 The Cathedral of Ulm - largest and tallest cathedral
in Germany
 From Ulm, they went to Stuttgart, Baden and
Rheinfall ( Cascade of the Rhein)
 At Rheinfall, they saw the waterfall, “the most
beautiful waterfall of Europe”.
CROSSING THE FRONTIER OF SWITZERLAND
 June 2-3, 1887 - stayed at Schaffhausen,
Switzerland
GENEVA
 The swiss city - one of the most beautiful cities
in Europe, visited by world tourists every year
 June 19, 1887 - Rizal treated Viola to a blow-
out. It was his 26th Birthday.
 They spent 15 delightful days in Geneva
 June 23, 1887 - They parted ways, Viola
returned to Barcelona while Rizal continue the
tour in Italy.
EXPOSITIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES IN MADRID
 Rizal outraged by this degradation of his fellow
countrymen the Igorots of Northern Luzon
ITALY
 From Geneva to Italy
 Rizal visited Turin, Milan, Venice and Florence
 June 27, 1887 - Rizal reached Rome, the “Eternal
City” and also called as “City of Caesars”
 June 29, 1887 - Feast Day of St. Peter and St.
Paul, Rizal visited (Vatican - “City of Popes”) for
the first time
RIZAL RETURNS HOME
 After a week of wonderful sojourn in Rome, he
prepared to return to Philippines. He had already
written letters to his father.