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 This page has links to some of the places mentioned in the
Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
,some of which are used for
locations in the
movie
which was
released on May 19, 2006 (and we saw an 11.30 am performance that day.).
Key:
- DIRECTIONS ARE SHOWN IN WHITE UPPER CASE
- Da Vinci Code references are
shown in blue
- Other points of interest in
passing are shown in orange
Tour of Da Vinci Code sites in London
In The Da
Vinci Code
Realizing that the clue to the cryptex might not be in
France but in England, Langdon, Neveu, and Teabing board Teabing's private plane
for London. In midair, the three manage to open the cryptex, but the contents,
instead of revealing the secrets of the Grail, yield only another clue wrapped
around yet another cryptex. Once on the ground, the threesome, hastily
interpreting this latest clue, make a mad dash down Fleet Street to a Knights of
the Templar fortress.
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Tour of Da Vinci Code sites in London |
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TAKE
TUBE TO TEMPLE UNDERGROUND STATION (which
is slightly out of sequence from the book) |
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1)
Temple Undergound (1) P 483
In the
book Langdon leaps over the barriers at the station
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CROSS
THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AWAY FROM THE RIVER AND WALK NORTH (UPHILL)
ALONG ARUNDEL STREET
IT
MEETS STRAND NEAR THE CHURCH OF ST CLEMENT DANE
This
is interesting as:
-
the
first line in the Children’s nursery rhyme “Oranges and Lemons say
the bells of St Clements”
-
as
the church of the Royal Air Force (there
are statues of ‘Bomber’ Harris and of Lord Dowding – who led the
fighters in the Battle of Britain
-
one
of Judy’s Lilliput Lane models
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TURN
RIGHT INTO THE STRAND WHICH BECOMES FLEET STREET.
On the
left are the Royal Courts of Justice, Britain's main civil courts,
housed in a huge Gothic building which is said to have over 1000 rooms
and nearly four miles of corridors. Outside, and in the middle of the
road, is the Temple Bar Memorial (a bronze statue of a griffon) and this
marks the entrance to the City of London. When the Queen attended the
marriage of “Chuck & Di” at St Pauls, she had to stop here to ask the
Lord Mayor for permission top enter the city
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Fleet Street
It is
also where Fleet Street begins. Once the home of any newspaper that
mattered (nearly 300 newspapers, periodicals and journals were available
by the end of the 18th century, and most were produced in this part of
London), the ‘Fourth Estate’ is now scattered around the city. Many of
the journalists would have been members of the Wig and Pen Club, housed
in two lovely buildings at nos. 229-230 The Strand closed on November
28, 2003 but had many journalists as its customers |
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WALK
ALONG FLEET STREET AND AFTER MIDDLE TEMPLE LANE TURN DOWN THE
(SIGNPOSTED) FOOTPATH TO
TEMPLE CHURCH. [IT’S OPPOSITE CHANCERY LANE] SEE MAP LATER IN THE
PACK.
2
Temple Church. (2 P453-477)
In
the Da Vinci Code Langdon, Sophie and Teabing follow
the clue:
"In
London lies a knight a Pope interred," and go by Jaguar to Temple
Church.
This
house of worship, famed for "the Round," its rare circular nave, was
built by the Knights Templar in the 12th century. The Red Knights (so
called after the red crosses they wore; you can see them in effigy
around the nave) held their secret initiation rites in the crypt here.
Having started out poor, holy, and dedicated to the protection of
pilgrims, they grew rich from showers of royal gifts, until in the 14th
century they were charged with heresy, blasphemy, and sodomy, thrown
into the Tower of London, and stripped of their wealth. You might
suppose the church to be thickly atmospheric, but Victorian and postwar
restorers have tamed its air of antique mystery. Still, it's a very fine
Gothic-Romanesque church, whose chancel ("the Oblong," dating from 1240)
has been accused of perfection.
The
Church is generally open Wednesday - Sunday. To avoid disappointment by
finding the Church closed; if you are planning a visit, you may like to
contact the Verger first, Brian Nicholson, 020 7353 3470,
verger@templechurch.com,
to confirm current opening hours.
Temple Church
website is full of interest about the history |
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In Da Vinci they go
there because of the clue:
"In
London lies a knight a Pope interred," and there are several Knights
Templar to be found here. |
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RETURN
TO FLEET STREET AND TURN LEFT ALONG TO THE STRAND
Along
the Strand you'll pass by Kings College London
In
The Da Vinci Code
A
portion of the second cryptex's message, "In London lies a knight a Pope
interred," finds new meaning for Langdon with the aid of a helpful
King's College librarian's computer.
3
King's College. . (3 P495 – 501 & P510 – 514)
According
to Brown, "King's College houses its Department of Theology and
Religious Studies adjacent to Parliament on property granted by the
Crown {I don’t believe it’s there but this is the main Kings campus}
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" The
college's religion department is also the home of the Research Institute
in Systematic Theology, one of the world's most advanced religious
research libraries. Brown describes the research room vividly: "a
dramatic octagonal chamber dominated by an enormous round table around
which King Arthur and his knights might have been comfortable were it
not for the presence of twelve flat-screen computer workstations."
King's
College actually has
several campuses on both sides of the Thames, just above Westminster
Abbey and the Houses of Parliament.
The
Department of
Theology and Religious Studies is in the School of Humanities.
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CONTINUE ALONG THE STRAND
Note The
Savoy Hotel and theatre on the left. The entrance was seen in “Notting
Hill” and it’s where we saw “Return to the Forbidden Planet.
You can
take a detour to Covent Garden by going up Southampton Street after
which return to the Strand |
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CONTINUE ALONG THE STRAND TO TRAFALGAR SQUARE
Here
you can see the pigeons, Nelson’s Column, National Gallery
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{As
an aside with somewhere interesting for lunch or a drink}
TURN DOWN NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE TOWARDS THE THAMES
4 Lunch
at “The Sherlock Holmes”
This
has lots of memorabilia about the fictional detective and is also a
Lilliput Lane model
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RETURN
TO TRAFALGAR SQUARE AND TAKE WALK ALONG WHITEHALL ON THE NORTH SIDE
(WITH THE WHITEHALL THEATRE). AT HORSE GUARDS TURN RIGHT AND GO THROUGH
THE ARCH TO HORSEGUARDS PARADE
The
archway is the one seen at the funeral of Princess Di when Prince
Philip, Charles, William, Harry and Di’s brother walked behind the
carriage
5 Horse
Guards Parade.
(5
PP??)
.
This
square, on Horse Guards Road, at the east end of St. James's Park, is a
fine place for mayhem. It was once the tiltyard of nearby Whitehall
Palace, where jousting tournaments were held. The vast square is now
notable mainly for the annual Trooping of the Colour ceremony. From
Horse Guards Parade, one gets an untrammeled view of Saint James's Park,
to which it's adjoined.
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CROSS
THE ROAD TO ST JAMES PARK
6 Saint
James's Park.
(6
P504) see
the
Pelicans ? and distant view of Buckingham Palace
In
The Da Vinci
Code
A character besotted with the Holy Grail has followed the trio to
London, planning to usurp control of the secrets Langdon and Neveu
continue to discover. Before he makes his move, though, he slips into
St. James's Park to deal with an accomplice who has misbehaved.
Three palaces border this gloriously green park:
the ancient Palace of Westminster, now the Houses of Parliament; the
Tudor St. James's Palace; and Buckingham Palace. Acclaimed as the most
royal of the royal parks, Saint James's Park is also London's smallest,
most ornamental park, as well as the oldest; it was acquired by Henry
VIII in 1532 for a deer park. Henry VIII built the palace next to the
park, which was used for hunting only (dueling and sword fights were
forbidden). James I improved the land and installed an aviary and zoo,
and Charles II laid out formal gardens. St. James's Park makes a
spectacular frame for the towers of Westminster and Victoria --
especially at night, when the illuminated fountains play and the skyline
beyond the trees looks like a floating fairyland.
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WALK
FROM THE PARK TO BIRDCAGE WALK WITH THE INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL
ENGINEERS AND THEN LEFT TOWARDS PARLIAMENT SQUARE
You’ll
pass the War Cabinet Rooms.
In
Parliament Square note Houses of Parliament, St Stephens Tower (Big Ben
is the bell inside)
At end
of Westminster Bridge is the statue of Queen Buddicca on her chariot (as
in Exning village sign)
Across the bridge is the old GLC building which houses the aquarium
(normal opening hours are from 10am - 6pm, with the last admission at
5pm, seven days a week.) |
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ON THE SOUTH EAST CORNER OF PARLIAMENT SQUARE IS
WESTMINSTER
ABBEY
Key Da Vinci places
here are:
Sources:
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TO GET TO REMAINING LONDON SITE
(Opus Dei HQ) YOU NEED TO GO BY BUS |
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(please check for latest information
on the
Transport for London website journey planner)
FROM
WESTMINSTER ABBEY BUS STOP
T Take the Bus 148
(towards Rockley Rd Shepherd's Bush Grn)
TO QUEENSWAY TUBE STATION. {Takes about 33 mins -- buy ticket before
boarding}. CROSS ROAD TO LOOK FOR ORME COURT. OPUS DEI HQ IS Nos # 5 &
6. |
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Opus Dei has
published it's
response to the Da Vinci Code. |
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Also mentioned is
"The Hung Drawn &
Quartered" pub which is near the Tower of London. |
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OTHER DA VINCI CODE
SITES ON THIS WEB SITE |
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PARIS: LOUVRE |
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Lilliput Lane has released an ornament based
on Rosslyn Chapel |
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