One of my favorite books by Dan Brown, Angels & Demons, follows Robert Langdon on a quest across Rome. Historical tidbits, symbolism, and mysterious elements have always grabbed my attention. The author crafted a compelling novel and picked an excellent lead character in Langdon to begin his series.
Tracking the Illuminati through Rome
For this adventure, we will skip two locations outside Rome: Harvard University and CERN. Instead, we will focus on Robert’s quest to find the light at the end of the path. The Pope has died, and the Vatican is in the midst of a Conclave. Four Cardinals have been kidnapped, and Robert Langdon has been brought in to help find them before the Illuminati sacrifice them on the altars of science. Our only clues are related to the four elements.
EARTH
The Pantheon
We can not skip the first stop at the Pantheon, even though it was a massive misstep for our hero. In a rush, Robert wrongly interprets a clue about “Santi’s earthly tomb with a demon’s hole”. A miscalculation by Professor Langdon is a big win for us. The Pantheon is a 2,000-year-old temple dedicated to all gods and one of Rome’s best-preserved ancient monuments.
*Unfortunately, you can no longer wander freely in and out of the Pantheon. You must now secure a timed entry ticket for yourself. You can complete this online using the Pantheon Tickets Link or on-site at ticket machines.
Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo
Then, head to the Piazza del Popolo to find the Santa Maria del Popolo Basilica. When Robert realizes they made a mistake and should be at the Chigi Chapel in the Santa Maria del Popolo church, also known as the Capella della Terra (Chapel of the Earth), he and Vittoria head there. There, they discover the Cardinal with the anagram of “EARTH” branded on his chest.
When you locate the Chigi Chapel and see the demon hole in the center, flanked by the two statues, you will realize that they filmed the movie in a recreation, as the chapel is much smaller than it was on screen. At this point in the quest, they discovered the path had been laid out by the renowned Renaissance artist Bernini. Bernini is responsible for Habakkuk and the Angel, the first official marker. “Let angels guide thee on thy lofty quest”, is about the pointing finger of the angel in the statue.
*The basilica is free to visit, but you need to plan around their odd hours.
AIR
St Peter’s Square
Next, we head to St Peter’s Square with Robert and Vittoria to discover what marker Bernini left for us. After moments of uncertainty, Robert finds the Bas-reliefs on the ground denoting a large compass. The Wind Rose, added in 1852, surrounds the obelisk at the center of the square, marking the 16 main points of the compass. The marble inscriptions name the wind that comes from each direction.
As they find the marker for the “West Ponente (wind)”, and the next Cardinal branded with the “AIR” anagram, you may notice another difference from the movie. In real life, all the tiles have wind lines, but in the film, they portrayed it as only being on the one for the west.
*St Peter’s Square is free to visit, but visitors must pass through one or two security checkpoints.
FIRE
Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria
After you have finished marveling at St Peter’s Square, we head to the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria. After careful research in the Vatican Archives, Robert Langdon determines the location of the next marker.
The church is next to a busy intersection in Rome and a little off the standard tourist path. Inside, down the left, in the back, you will find Bernini’s statue of The Ecstasy of St. Teresa. In the story, Robert enters the church to find another Cardinal engulfed in flames and branded with the word “FIRE.”
I am sure you will enjoy Santa Maria della Vittoria more than Robert. He narrowly escapes the killer and the fire that ensued. In the aftermath, He figures out that the arrow in the statue points to the next marker and that the clue to cross Rome, literally, means to make a cross. Determining the next marker, we head to Piazza Navona.
*The church is free to visit, but again, you need to plan around their hours.
WATER
Piazza Navona
Upon arrival at the piazza, the obelisk-adorned Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi immediately draws your eye. The Fountain of the Four Rivers is a masterwork by Bernini and a delight to see. You are also standing in one of the most beautiful squares in Rome, enjoy it.
In the fountain, Robert encounters the fourth and final kidnapped Cardinal. He has been branded with the word “WATER” and weighted down so that he can not escape drowning. In the movie, Robert and some helpful strangers save him, but he is not so fortunate in the book.
Robert is able to decipher the final clue using the dove of peace sitting on top of the Pamphili obelisk. This marker leads him to the final destination on the path to enlightenment.
*You are free to visit the Piazza day or night, as it is a public square.
Castel Sant’Angelo
Castel Sant’Angelo is the final stop on our tour and the home of the Illuminati. As Robert arrives and enters the castle, he completes his journey on the path to enlightenment. The book and the movie have very different scenarios, so we will leave the details out to be spoiler-free. The bridge leading up to the Castle is worth a visit alone.
*The Castle is currently a museum, and visitors need a ticket to enter. To get an official ticket, head to Castel Sant’Angelo tickets.
The “Eternal City”
Rome has so much to see; it is almost unbelievable and can even be a little overwhelming. Breaking it down into field trips like this can turn stress into fun. I hope you enjoy tracing Robert Langdon’s path to enlightenment through the streets of Rome as much as I did.
If you are ever in Washington, DC, you can take a similar trip with Langdon while he searches for the Lost Symbol.
