The Davinci Code

The Davinci Code is one of my all-time favorite movies. I have to admit that I have never read the book, but I have watched the movie many times and always enjoy the adventure, mystery, and history behind it. I love to visit specific places from movies, and The Davinci Code is full of great places to visit.

* The Louvre Museum

* Burghley House

The Louvre Museum

The Louvre Museum is featured in The Davinci Code, including specific pieces of art such as the Mona Lisa. The unique floor of The Grande Galerie is specifically referenced in the movie.

Parquet flooring of the Grande Galerie

The Grande Galerie

The Mona Lisa is the most important painting featured in the movie, although one could never get close to the painting as Professor Langdon and Sophie do in the movie. The painting is protected behind glass and guests are kept at a distance behind roped barriers so that they cannot come within 10 feet of the painting. This photo was taken in March 2025 at our most recent visit to the Louvre. In the movie, Sophie and Professor Langdon find writing in blood on the wall next to the Mona Lisa that gives them an anagram, or clue, to the next place to look inside the Louvre.

This photo was taken in November 2024 on one of our trips to Paris. There are always lots of people in the room viewing the Mona Lisa, so you have to wait your turn to get to the front and snap a photo. The Mona Lisa is being temporarily held in the Galerie Medicis of the Richelieu Wing during renovations of the Louvre, but normally it is in the Denon Wing.

Madonna of the Rocks by Leonardo da Vinci is in the Denon Wing of the Louvre, in the Grande Galerie. In the movie, the key to the safe deposit box is hidden behind it.

"The Death of the Virgin" by Caravaggio
This painting is the one that Jacques Sauniere pulls off the wall at the beginning of the movie that forces the gates to close, keeping him apart from his killer.

The Intervention of the Sabine Women by Jacques Louis David
Romulus was about to throw a spear at his father-in-law Tatius, when his wife Hersilia intervenes during the battle preceding the peace treaty between the Romans and the Sabines. In the movie, only the very bottom of this painting is shown, at the very beginning of the movie as Jacques Sauniere is running through the Louvre in an attempt to escape his killer.

The Inverted Pyramid is featured prominently at both the beginning and end of the movie. It is on the basement floor of the Louvre near the exit. It is in a shopping area underground.

The Louvre Pyramid is featured at both the beginning and end of the movie. Captain Fache calls the pyramid a "scar on the face of Paris."

In the movie you will see both the Louvre Pyramid and the lit-up Paris Ferris Wheel. In the movie, police cars drive onto the Louvre courtyard and up to the pyramid. There were plenty of people, but definitely no cars there when we visited in 2024 and 2025.

Scenes from the Davinci Code in the Louvre can be seen here:

Ending Scene in the Louvre

Finding Clues in the Louvre

Sets of the Davinci Code - How they filmed in the Louvre

Burghley House in England

Burghley House, which is also "Rosings Park" in the 2005 production of Pride & Prejudice stood in for the French Chateau de Villette in the exterior shots. The interior was also used for the pope's summer residence, as well as Sophie's grandfather's estate.

Completed in 1587, Burghley House is a grand and beautiful estate built by William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I. You can tour the house for only 20 euro with an advanced-purchase ticket from their website: Burghley House

You can tour the home at night (from 6-8 pm) with a ticket to "Burghley by Twilight" for 30 euro. The home is open from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm. every day except Friday, from March 15th through November 2nd. They have a Halloween Trail in the fall, and Christmas concerts at evenings in Christmastime. They even host a Santa Fun Run every year! They also host a Christmas Fair every year at the end of November, which is what they were setting up for when we arrived at Burghley House in November of 2024. The house was not open to visitors at the time, but we were able to park and walk around the grounds behind the gates, admiring the views of the house.

Burghley House is located here: Google Maps location for Burghley House

The address is Burghley House, Peterborough, Stamford PE9 3JY, United Kingdom

Here is a scene from DaVinci Code inside Burghley House: Burghley House

Burghley's house's location in Stamford

The Man from Uncle, 2015

* The Spanish Steps

* Theater of Marcellus

* Monument to Victor Emmanuel II (Piazza Venezia)

* Trajan's Column & the Church of the Holy Name of Mary at Trajan Forum

The Spanish Steps

Here is the movie clip from The Man from Uncle at the Spanish Steps: Spanish Steps

Built in the 17th century, these might be the most famous steps in the world. 135 steps in total, the Spanish Steps are one of the most visited tourist stops in Rome. They are easily accessible using the Spagna metro stop.

The Spanish Steps are located at Piazza di Spagna, 00187 in Rome. The steps were created in the 18th century in an effort to allow access between the Piazza di Spagna and the Trinita dei Monti church at the top of the hill. They were completed in 1725. You can visit the Spanish Steps 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, free of charge. They are relatively close to the Trevi Fountain, about a 9 minute walk. They are also very close to the Piazza del Popolo, about an 11 minute walk.

View from the top of the steps

view of the terrace above the lower staircase

Trinita dei Monti church, at the top of the Spanish steps

The obelisk above the Spanish Steps, the Sallustiano Obelisk

2024

Fontana della Barcaccia

My daughter on the Spanish Steps in 2025

Location of the Spanish Steps

The Theater of Marcellus

The Teatro di Marcelo could easily be mistaken for the Roman Colosseum when viewed in photos or on movies, because of its similar shape and structure. It is a circular building as well, but was used as a Roman theater. The theater was completed in 13 BC. It was commissioned by Julius Caesar, although he didn't live long enough to see it completed. At the time of its completion, it was the largest and most important theater in Rome. It could seat 17, 580 people. The theater was dedicated to the memory of Marcus Claudius Marcellus, who was the son of Octavia, and the nephew of Augustus. Therefore, he was the great-great-nephew-by marriage of Julius Caesar.

The theater was used for a variety of purposes after its original use as a theater was discarded. Currently it's used for club meetings or concerts. You can't tour the interior of the Teatro because it is privately owned and includes residences now. You can visit the outside at any time and take photographs. It is located at Via del Teatro di Marcelo in Rome.

You can watch a scene from The Man From Uncle filmed at the Theater of Marcellus here. It is actually the same spot used for filming Roman Holiday: The Man From Uncle at Theater of Marcellus

The location of Teatro di Marcello: Teatro di Marcelo

Teatro di Marcelo appears in several movies, including Roman Holiday.

Piazza Venezia

Piazza Venezia is named after the adjacent Palazzo Venezia. Entrance to the Palazzo Venezia is from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm with an entrance fee of 18 euro. The Palazzo is probably not what draws your attention to Piazza Venezia, however. The Vittoriano is the most important monument to the first king of Italy, Victor Emmanuel II. This very large, majestic monument can be seen in various movies and is one of the iconic sights of Rome. You can enter the monument for free, although an entrance fee of 18 euro is required to enter its museums or to ride the lift to the top of the monument. The official website for the monument and also for the palazzo is here: Piazza Venezia

My daughter and I walked through the monument in March of 2025. One thing to note is that if you need to use the bathroom while visiting this monument, it is located on the lowest level and there is a very long line to wait in to use one of two stalls - boys and girls combined. There is no cost to use these facilities, other than the long wait in line.

The highlight of the Piazza Venezia is the Vittorio Emanuele II monument, which is a spacious, opulent building which you can tour for free, although entering the museums does require an entrance fee of eighteen euro for the day, entering any time between 9:30 am and 7 pm. The monument was built beginning in 1885 and was designed by Giuseppe Sacconi. It was inaugurated in 1911 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Unification of Italy. This bronze statue is of Victor Emanuele II.

My daughter on the stairs of the monument in March of 2025

Every time I have visited the Piazza Venezia it has been under construction.

Inside the atrium of the monument: Quadriga of Liberty

"The sacred borders of Italy returned with arms."

One of the triumphal columns

My daughter and I on the terrace of the monument in March of 2025

This lift takes visitors who have paid the 18 euro entrance fee up to the top floor and includes entrance to the museums and more.

view of the city from the monument

Bronze chariots on the Panoramic Terrace

Victor Emmanuel II

Bronze chariots

The colonnade with 16 columns that represent the regions of Italy in the second half of the nineteenth century

A pair of triumphal columns with winged Victories on top

Victor Emmanuel

The Door of Liberty

Freedom, The Right, Tyranny, and the People

"The Sacrifice" by Leonardo Bistolfi

Victor Emmanuel II

Altar of the Fatherland

Altar of the Fatherland with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which was added in 1921

Altar of the Fatherland, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Bronze chariots, and Victor Emmanuel II

Altar of the Fatherland & Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

One of the bronze Victories

The sculpture entitled "The Thought" by Giulio Monteverde

Lamassu, a monster with the body of a winged lion

One of the Victory's

"The Sacrifice"

The Action

Victor Emmanuel II and The Sacrifice

Trajan's Column & Church of Santissimo Nome di Maria:

Trajan's Column was completed in 113 AD. It is one of the more famous columns in Rome. It is located next to the Church of The Most Holy Name of Mary at the Forum of Trajan. It is about 115 feet tall. You can visit it at any time of day or night. It's very close to the Roman Forum and Piazza Venezia. The official website of the Church is here: Church of the Holy Name of Mary at the Forum of Trajan The church is closed on Mondays, but other days you can visit it beginning at 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. and again from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The cornerstone of the church was laid in 1736 and it was consecrated in 1741.

Trajan's column tells the story of the wars between the Romans and the Dacians that took place from 101 to 106 AD. It may have been created by Apollodorus of Damascus.