Walking in Italy doesn't usually conjure up images of a peaceful city break sauntering around the sites of Rome, but there's no reason why this shouldn't be the case. The term ?flaneuring? was coined by Charles Baudelaire in 1917 and is defined as? a person who walks a city in order to experience it?. With ancient history and Roman architecture around almost every corner in Rome, there has never been a more apt city to ?flaneur?.
An ?Angels and Demons? themed walk is a beautiful and unique way to see the main sites of Rome and whilst many tour companies offer themed tours there's no reason why you shouldn't go it alone.
Earth
The first stop on our walk in Italy is the Church of Santa Maria Del Popolo, a notable Augustinian Church which stands to the north side of the Piazza Del Popolo. The church has five smaller chapels located inside and the most notable of these is The Chigi Chapel. This features in ?Angels and Demons? as the element of earth and here the statue of Habakkuk and the Angel point out the path of illumination. The skeleton cupermiento covers the subterranean crypt, and a demon's hole where the first Cardinal is found murdered inside the book.
Air
The second element mentioned in ?Angels and Demon's? is air and the next stop on our walk in Italy is St. Peter's Church and square.
The site is famous for being the largest Christian church in the world and the lavish piazza commissioned by Bernini has the effect of humbling all those that visit it. The church features the beautiful Papal altar with a golden coffer surrounded by ninety-nine glowing oil lamps which are said to burn until the end of time.
Fire
The fourth Cardinal in the book is hung by incensor cables and burnt alive in the Santa Maria della Vittoria, the next stop on our walk in Italy. This church is notable for featuring the beautiful and astonishing Ecstasy of St. Teresa, which was also designed by Bernini. At the time the statue was built it was described as the ?most unfit ornament to be placed in a Christian Church? and deemed pornographic.
Water
The beautiful and intricately designed Fountain of Four Waters located at Piazza Navona is the final stop on your Angels and Demons tour. The piazza was once a stadium built by order of Emperor Domitian, but is now one of the most peculiar squares you'll encounter on a walk in Italy. In the middle of the piazza is Bernini's tribute to water with the four male figures portraying the four continents where the Catholic Religion had spread at the time the fountain was commissioned in 1650, and, of course, the four most important rivers of the Old World: the Rio della Plata, the Nile, Ganges and Danube.
In the film these locations make up the ?Four Altars of Science? and are believed to hold the key to the meeting place of the Illuminati. However, even if you're not a fan of Dan Brown's books these sites should be experienced, even if for nothing other than the sheer beauty of their ancient architecture.
Seafaring folk are generally a superstitious lot and the legends of good and evil forces affecting overseas shipping go back thousands of years. The ancient Greeks believed that there were monsters in the sea like the Kraken and fearsome gods like Poseidon who would punish them if they did not offer proper tribute for a successful voyage. Their views were shared by other cultures around the world which are actually remarkably similar in their belief systems.
Every race has their list of angels and demons. The practice of explaining the concept of good and evil has given rise to countless legends that were originally comprised as hypothetical explanations to the masses. These fantasies, particularly in ancient times when people had little or no formal education, were taken literally and the gods of Olympus were born.
Overseas shipping at the time was a dangerous occupation in a virtually unknown world so unexplained occurrences were blamed on supernatural forces. The same held true when certain men surpassed human expectations and performed tasks that seemed impossible. Successful warriors like the legendary Achilles were said to have been the offspring of the gods of Olympus.
The rise of Christianity and the concept of one God are widely attributed to the social and educational influences of the time when Christ was reputed to have been born. The world was maturing and the pantheon of Greek gods that had been adopted by the Romans was becoming a legend that was less and less believable as time went on. Good and evil became personified in God and the Devil. The sailors involved in overseas shipping began praying to a different higher power.
During the reign of the Roman Empire, civilization spread across the known world and overseas shipping became a more stable profession. As trade routes became more crowded and unexplained occurrences less frequent the captains and crews of overseas shipping vessels began to lose their fear of sea monsters and the wrath of Poseidon or his Roman equivalent Neptune.
After the fall of Rome in the Middle Ages when European kingdoms fought for control of overseas shipping, the God and Devil of Christianity were blamed or credited for the success or failure of a voyage. If a sailor went mad at sea from a strange ailment it was blamed on a demon and miraculous events were said to be the work of an angel. The beliefs of the people hadn't changed, just the names of the forces of good and evil at work.
Today, overseas shipping is done with modern technology, massive cargo ships powered by petroleum, and men and women who pray to dozens of gods and believe in evil forces personified by demons and catastrophic storms. Though not as superstitious as the seafaring folk of old, the wily old veterans of many a voyage will always be able to tell you at least one story about the angels and demons of overseas shipping. The mystery of the sea and the forces at work out there has to be preserved somehow.
Both Tony Maniscalco & Nir Dotan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Tony Maniscalco has sinced written about articles on various topics from French Vacation, Insurance and Travel and Leisure. Tony Maniscalco is the Sales and Marketing Manager for Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. A long-established and highly respected company, they have been operating since 1946 and now offer over 250 holidays in more than 70 different countries. Their dedication. Tony Maniscalco's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.
Nir Dotan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Argentina Travel, Penny Stocks and Pink Sheets. Nir Dotan is a writer and promoter of services, and. Nir Dotan's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.