Historic Rome, Italy

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While in Rome, I was reading Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (a prequel to the DaVinci Code), so thought it would be fun to go on the tour. The book follows Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, as he tries to stop what seems to be the Illuminati, a legendary secret society, from destroying the Vatican City. Langdon and Vittoria Vetra race against the clock to try to prevent the murders of four eminent cardinals on the night of a conclave. Langdon deciphers the following poem to lead him to the murder sights:

From Santi's earthly tomb with demon's hole,
'Cross Rome the mystic elements unfold.
The path of light is laid, the sacred test,
Let angels guide you on your lofty quest.

Piazza del Popolo The Angels and Demons tour traces the murder sights, Path of Illumination, from the book - the 4 Altars of Science, representing the four elements of earth, air, fire and water. According to the book, the "altars" were hidden as religious artwork in order to avoid the wrath of the Vatican and secure the secrecy of the Illuminati. The artworks that make up the Four Altars were all sculpted by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

To get to Piazza del Popolo and meet the tour, we took the metro to the Flaminio station. When we arrived in the plaza, I noticed the first Illuminati sign above the entrance archway, the Porto Del Popolo. It was a carving of the Seven Hills of Rome rising up to a star, but looked like a shining star above a pyramid (an Illuminati symbol). We met our tour guide at 9:30am who gave a summary of the book up until Langdon and Vetra reach Piazza del Popolo.

1) Santa Maria del Popolo Church (Piazza del Popolo)

Santa Maria del Popolo Church We walked into Santa Maria to the Chigi Chapel - representing the element Earth. The church is known for its frescoes by by Pinturicchio and two paintings by Caravaggio. In 1531 Raphael created the Chigi Chapel which contains sculptural works by Bernini. The chapel had a pyramid tomb (a symbol of Illuminati) by Bernini and a skeleton cupermiento covering the "demon's hole" and subterranean crypt.

In the book, they find that they are too late. Cardinal Ebner is killed by having dirt stuffed down his throat while buried up to his waist in the underground crypt (Earth). They look and Bernini's statue Habakkuk and the Angel shows an angel pointing the way down the Path of Illumination - which Langdon sees as the angel pointing towards St. Peter's Square. In reality, based on a story in an apocryphal text, Habakkuk is urged by the angel, who pulls on his hair, to take food to Daniel who is imprisoned in the lion's den. The statue depicts the angel pointing to Daniel.

2) St. Peter's Square

We got in a minivan and drove to St. Peter's Square - representing the element Air. When we arrived, we immediately noticed the first Illuminati symbol, the obelisk in the middle of the square. We walked over to see the West Ponente medallion in the cobblestone in front of the obelisk. I didn't notice this the day before when we were wandering around the square. Here, Langdon and Vetra are again too late. They find that Cardinal Lamassé was killed by being stabbed in the lungs in St. Peter's Square (Air).

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