RIZAL’S GRAND TOUR OF EUROPE WITH VIOLA (1887)

· May 11, 1887- Rizal and Viola left Berlin by train
· Dresden- one of the best cities in Germany
· Prometheus Bound-painting wherein Rizal was deeply impressed
· Teschen (now Decin, Czechoslovakia)- next stopover after leaving Dresedn

LEITMERITZ
· At 1:30pm of May 13, 1887- the train, with Rizal and Viola on board, arrived at the railroad station of
Leitmeritz, Bohemia
-for the first time, the two great scholars—Rizal and Blumentritt—met in person
· Professor Blumentritt- a kind-hearted, old Austrian professor
· May 13 to May 16, 1887- Rizal and Viola stayed in Leitmeritz
· Burgomaster- town mayor
· Tourist’s Club of Leitmeritz-which Blumentritt was the secretary; Rizal spoke extemporaneously in
fluent Germany to the officers and members
· Dr. Carlos Czepelak- renowned scientist of Europe
· Professor Robert Klutschak- an eminent naturalist
· May 16, 1887 at 9:45 AM- Rizal and Viola left Leitmeritz by train

PRAGUE
· Dr. Willkomm- professor of natural history in the University of Prague
· According to Viola, “nothing of importance happened” in this city

VIENNA
· May 20, 1887- Rizal and Viola arrived in the beautiful city of Vienna, capital of Austria-Hungary
· Vienna was truly the “Queen of Danube” because of its beautiful buildings, religious images, haunting
waltzes and majestic charm
· Norfentals- one of the greatest Austrian novelists was favorably impressed by Rizal, and years later he
spoke highly of Rizal, “whose genius he so much admired.”
· Hotel Metropole- where Rizal and Viola stayed
· In Vienna, Rizal received his lost diamond stickpin

DANUBIAN VOYAGE TO LINTZ
· May 24, 1887- Rizal and Viola left Vienna on a river boat to see the beautiful sights of the Danube River
· Rizal particularly noticed that the passengers on the river boat were using paper napkins during the
meals, which was a novelty to him. Viola, commented that the paper napkins were “more hygienic and
economical than cloth napkins”

FROM LINTZ TO RHEINFALL
· Munich- where Rizal and Viola 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- the largest and tallest cathedral in all Germany
· From Ulm, they went to Stuttgart, Baden and then Rheinfall (Cascade of the Rhine). At Rheinfall, they
saw the waterfall, “the most beautiful waterfall of Europe”

CROSSING THE FRONTIER TO SWITZERLAND
· June 2 to 3, 1887- stayed at Schaffhausen, Switzerland

GENEVA
· This Swiss city is 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 26 th birthday
· Rizal and Viola spent fifteen delightful days in Geneva
· June 23, 1887- Viola and Rizal parted ways—Viola returned to Barcelona while Rizal continued the tour to Italy
· Exposition of the Philippines in Madrid, Spain- Rizal was outraged by this degradation of his fellow
countrymen the Igorots of Northern Luzon