{"id":857803,"date":"2024-09-12T09:59:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-12T06:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/?p=857803"},"modified":"2025-02-22T16:31:22","modified_gmt":"2025-02-22T14:31:22","slug":"rome-in-the-footsteps-of-angels-and-demons-a-route-for-fans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/en\/rome-in-the-footsteps-of-angels-and-demons-a-route-for-fans\/","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udd75\ufe0f Rome in the footsteps of \u201cAngels and Demons\u201d: a route for fans"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Secrets are a luxury we can no longer afford.” This is how the main character of Dan Brown's landmark series of books, Robert Langdon, put it. The Harvard University professor and intellectual historian fell in love with millions of readers from the first pages of the book “Angels and Demons,” filmed in 2009. And then came “The Da Vinci Code” and “Inferno”. I wanted to not just follow Langdon\u2019s adventures, but to go through them live, step by step. Dan Brown's vivid and juicy descriptions took us to Paris<\/a>, then to Istanbul, then to London<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But today we are not talking about them. And about the eternal city, Rome<\/a>, where Brown\u2019s character took his first steps towards literary immortality<\/a>. Having walked the legendary “path of the Illuminati” through the most mysterious places of the capital of Italy. I invite you to take this path and organize for yourself a unique quest around Rome<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Step 1, wrong. Pantheon<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n

“Find the tomb of Santi with the devil\u2019s hole…” – this was the first hint on the path of enlightenment. And Robert Langdon was wrong in his interpretation. Every Roman knows that today the tomb of Raphael Santi, the greatest artist of the Renaissance, is located in the Pantheon, the temple of all the Gods. We will go there, despite the false trail.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

The Pantheon is one of the symbols of Rome. Built in 128 AD as a pagan sanctuary, it was put into the service of the Christian church from the 7th century. But the eye cannot be fooled: the massive composition of the Pantheon, strict compliance with natural, earthly forms and the mysterious hole in the very center of the dome of the building are messengers from the distant, pagan past of the temple.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It is the hole in the dome (oculus) that attracts tourists with its incomprehensible, downright otherworldly purpose. But the architects did not have the goal of luring demons through this hole or establishing a connection with the cosmos. Everything is simpler: the oculus was made exactly in such a way that the sun “spent” autumn and winter in the upper hemisphere of the building<\/a>, and after the spring equinox the sun\u2019s ray passed through the doorway. Thus, the structure acquired the symbolic meaning of the axis of the world.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Italy's greatest artists, thinkers and royalty are buried in the Pantheon. Including Raphael. So why is the trail false? The fact is that the artist\u2019s grave was moved there later, but initially it was in a different place.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lifehack. There are so many people in the Pantheon that it is they, and not the mystical interior<\/a>, that will occupy the lion's share of any photo. Therefore, try to arrive at the building early, while other tourists are sleeping. It is open on weekdays and Saturdays from 8:30 to 19:30 and on Sundays from 9:00 to 18:00. Recently, the Roman authorities introduced a fee for visiting<\/a> the iconic landmark<\/a> – 5 euros.<\/p>\n

Step 2. Church of Santa Maria del Popolo\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Having realized the mistake, following Professor Langdon, we go to Piazza del Popolo (“People\u2019s Square”). There is a temple of the same name on it, where the path of the Illuminati actually begins.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Why there? Raphael, originally buried in this church, is famous as an artist. But occasionally he also acted as an architect. Although the church owes its appearance mainly to Bernini, it was Raphael who designed one of the parts of the temple, the Chigi Chapel. In the book it is also called “Chapel of the Earth”. Its literary name indicates a connection with one of the natural elements.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

The Church of Santa Maria del Popolo is still the creepiest temple I have ever seen. The brown marble really gives it an earthy tone. Skeletons peer out from the floor and walls, which are by no means characteristic of the typical interior of the “house of God.” And the sarcophagi are decorated with two pyramidal obelisks, ancient symbols of eternity.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

If the gloomy decorations send a chill down your spine, pay attention to the wall paintings. To the left of the main altar are two paintings by Caravaggio: the Conversion of Saul and the Crucifixion of St. Peter<\/a>. And above the altar is the painting “The Ascension of the Madonna” by Annibale Carracci. These are some of the most famous frescoes of the “Eternal City”.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

But it\u2019s time to save the cardinals: we go to the Chigi Chapel. In the center of the chapel, on the mosaic floor, in a round medallion, a winged skeleton is depicted with the Latin inscription “Mors.aD.CaeLos” (“Death from Heaven”). This is the “devil's hole”.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

And next to it is the sculpture “Habakkuk and the Angel”. The prophet who predicted the death of the Earth for sins points his hand to the southwest. We'll go there for the next clue.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Lifehack. The church has been undergoing renovation work for a long time. She will appear before you in the scaffolding. Due to renovations, it is sometimes closed, so check the opening hours<\/a> before your visit. Entrance to the church is free.<\/p>\n

Step 3. St. Peter's Square<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n

When visiting Rome and looking into the smallest state in the world – the Vatican<\/a>, you definitely cannot pass by this location, whether you are hunting for the Illuminati or not. After all, St. Peter's Square, together with the cathedral of the same name towering above it, is visited by about six million tourists every year. You will disappear into the huge mass of people whenever you come to the square. The more difficult it will be to look at your feet in search of the next sign.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

To be fair, I will say that it was not fellow tourists who prevented me from looking at my feet, but the grandiose structures of the square. It once again demonstrated the genius of Bernini the architect. The oval part of the square is framed on both sides by semicircular colonnades. 284 columns in four rows support the vault ribbon, on which 140 statues of religious figures are installed.<\/p>\n

It is interesting that Bernini intended to close the colonnades, leaving two small passages, and thereby turn the square into an “island of prayer” completely isolated from the city. He did not have time to implement his plan or simply changed his mind. But the effect of the colonnades did not become any less: they seemed to embrace those gathered in the square and direct them to the entrance to the heart of the Catholic world – St. Peter's Basilica. You can see this and other attractions<\/a> as part of a tour of Rome<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"St.<\/a><\/p>\n

The greatness of the cathedral is not only nominal, but also real. It is the largest Christian church in the world and can accommodate 60 thousand believers. According to an unspoken rule, no building in Rome can be taller than the 136-meter St. Peter's Basilica.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You can admire the Basilica endlessly. But you remember that we came to the square with a messianic role. In the center of the square there is an Egyptian<\/a> obelisk, installed by Emperor Caligula in the 1st century. Walk around it, looking under your feet for a bas-relief depicting a blowing angel and the inscription West Ponente (“West Wind”). Before us is the second element and the next clue.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Lifehack. In the square there are two marble discs with the inscription Centro Del Colonnata. If you stand on them and look at the colonnade, the three back rows of columns will hide.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you are not afraid of queues to get into the cathedral, know that the best time to visit it is around 16:00. Then the queues are reduced to a minimum.<\/p>\n

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