CHAPTER 9

Rizal’s Grand Tour of Europe

with Maximo Viola (1887)
After the publication of Noli
me Tangere, Rizal planned to
visit the significant places in
Europe.
 Dr. Maximo Viola agreed to be
his travelling companion. Rizal
received 1000 pesos from
Paciano and immediately paid
his debt to Viola which he loaned
to print Noli me Tangere.
 Rizal & Viola left Berlin by train.
MAY 11, Their 1st destination was
1887 Dresden, “one of the best cities in
Germany”
 1st Stop:
Dresden, Germany
 I. DRESDEN
• They tarried for some time in Dresden

• Visited Dr. Adolph B. Meyer (Director of the

Royal Zoological & Anthropological-
Ethnological Museum), he was overjoyed to see
Rizal and Viola
 I. DRESDEN
• In the museum, Rizal was impressed by the
painting of “Prometheus Bound”
• After going to the museum, they went to meet Dr.
Feodor Jagor.
 I. DRESDEN
• Dr. Jagor heard about their plan going to
Leitmeritz to meet Blumentritt. So he advised
them to wire a letter to the professor to let him
know about their arrival.
 2nd Stop:
Leitmeritz, Czech Republic
 II. LEITMERITZ
• May 15, 1887 1:30 P.M. : the train arrived at
Leitmeritz.

• Prof. Blumentritt was waiting at the station

holding the sketch of Rizal’s face that the latter
sent him.
 II. LEITMERITZ
• Prof. Blumentritt helped them get a room at
Hotel Krebs

• He then took them to his house for them to meet

his family.
 II. LEITMERITZ
• Rizal & Viola enjoyed the hospitality of the
Blumentritt family. The professor’s wife cooked
Austrian dishes for them
 II. LEITMERITZ
• Prof. Blumentritt toured them on the scenic and
historical spots in Leitmeritz.
• He introduced them to the Burgomaster (town
mayor), who was amazed by Rizal’s priviliged
talent.
 3rd Stop:
Prague, Czech Republic
 III. PRAGUE
• They brought with them letters of
recommendation from Prof. Blumentritt, which
advised them to meet Dr. Willkom (a well known
professor in Prague) to give them a tour around
Prague.
 III. PRAGUE
• They visited the “Tomb of Coppernicus”, known
as the museum of natural history

• They left to visit Vienna

 4th Stop:
Vienna, Austria
 IV. VIENNA
• May 20, 1887 : they arrived at Vienna (Capital of
Austria-Hungary)

• They stayed at Hotel Metropole

 IV. VIENNA

• They met two good friends of Blumentritt-

Masner and Nordman.
 5th Stop:
Lintz, Austria
 V. LINTZ
• May 24, 1887 : they left Vienna to visit Lintz

• They travelled via river boat to see the beautiful

sights of the Danube River.
 6th Stop:
Salzburg, Austria
 VI. SALZBURG

• From Lintz, they travelled overland to Salzburg

 7th Stop:
Munich, Alemanya
 VII. MUNICH
• From Salzburg, they travelled to Munich

• They sojourned for a short time to savour the

famous Munich Beer
 VII. MUNICH

• They stayed there from June 2 to 3,

1887
 8th Stop:
Switzerland
 VIII.
SWITZERLAND
• They continued their tour to Basel, then
to Bern, and then to Lausanne.
 9th Stop:
Geneva, Switzerland
 IX. GENEVA
• They left Lausanne in a little boat, crossed the
foggy Leman Lake, and arrived at Geneva.

• June 19, 1887 : Rizal’s 26th birthday. He treated

Viola with a blowout.
 IX. GENEVA
• They spent 15 days in Geneva

• June 23, 1887 : Rizal and Viola parted ways.

Viola decided to go back to Barcelona and Rizal
continued his tour to Italy
 EXPOSITION OF IGOROTS IN 1887
• Rizal received a( sad
MADRID)
news from his friends in
Madrid about the deplorable conditions of the
primitive Igorots who were exhibited during
this exposition.
 EXPOSITION OF IGOROTS IN 1887
( MADRID)
• Some of the Igorots died

• Rizal was outraged by the degradation of his

fellow countrymen.
10th Stop:
Italy
 X. ITALY
• He visited Turin, Milan, Venice, and Florence

• June 27, 1887 : he reached Rome. He was thrilled

by the sights and memories of the Eternal City.
 X. ITALY

• June 29, 1887 : he visited Vatican

( City of the Popes)
 X. ITALY
• After a week of staying in Rome, Italy, he
prepared for his return to the Philippines.
He had written to his father that he was
coming home.
TH A NK
YOU