Holidays in Rome

Angels and Demons is a bestselling novel by American author Dan Brown, and is set in the magnificent capital city of Italy- Rome. It depicts the thrilling adventure of Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon as he travels all over Rome, trying to stop a legendary secret society known as the Illuminati from destroying Vatican City. On his journey, Robert Langdon visits numerous historical sites and structures in order to help him find clues so he can defeat the Illuminati. Due to the popularity and success of the novel, these sites have now become extremely popular tourist attractions for people when visiting Rome.

In response to the growing popularity of these locations, tour companies are now providing special Rome tours which specifically cover the sites visited by Robert Langdon in the book. These places include St. Maria’s del Popolo Church, St. Peter’s Square, St. Maria’s della Vittoria Church, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Castel Sant’Angelo, and Il Passetto. All these locations played a key part in Langdon’s adventure, and all contain a rich and fascinating history.

In the novel, Dan Brown fictionalizes a story about the Altars of Science in Rome, which consists of four locations that represent the four elements—earth, air, fire and water. These elements are believed to be “the Path of Illumination”, a trail to the meeting place of the Illuminati in Rome.

According to the story, the “altars” (all sculpted by Gian Lorenzo Bernini) were hidden as religious artwork in order to avoid the wrath of the Vatican and secure the secrecy of the Illuminati. The places in which Langdon iscovers these altars are as followed-

Earth—Habakkuk and the Angel in Chigi Chapel of Santa Maria del Popolo

Air—West Ponente at Saint Peter’s Square

Fire—The Ecstasy of St Teresa sculpture at the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria

Water—The famous Fountain of Four Rivers at Piazza Navona

All these locations are visited in the Angels and Demons Rome tours: guests can see firsthand exactly where and what Langdon had to find in order to discover the secrets of the Illuminati. In addition to the four altar locations, visitors can see for example the Sistine Chapel, which is the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. They can also see places like St. Peter’s Basilica, which is the largest shrine on earth, and is where much of the action in Angels and Demons took place.

If you are a fan of Angels and Demons (or even if you’re not) and you ever plan to visit Italy, then taking the Angels and Demons Rome tour would be a great way to spend your time. You would not only be able to see the spectacular locations which were talked about in the book, but you would be able to gain a deep knowledge of Rome’s history and culture. There are group tours or private tours available, and the cost of these tours is very reasonable. Don’t miss out on this great tour in Rome, visit www.angelsanddemons.it