The Da Vinci Code : Winchester (England)

Dedicated to an English model from Winchester I met in the streets of my city Milano.

Make up your own mind about The Da Vinci Code as Winchester explores its concepts, symbols and mysteries.

Dating back over 900 years, Winchester’s world-famous cathedral is as remarkable for its hidden treasures as for its spectacular architecture. Here, in the longest medieval nave in Europe, you’ll find outstanding works of art alongside the tombs of Jane Austen, Izaak Walton and the early English kings.

Winchester Cathedral provided the backdrop to some of the opening scenes in The Da Vinci Code, where its north transept portrayed the Vatican. The cathedral is now running a major exhibition entitled ‘Cracking the Code’, which invites you to explore the concepts and symbols in the book and to discover Winchester’s very own images and icons.

The exhibition runs until 21 July 2006 and is supported by a series of talks at Winchester College Chapel. And for our future historians, there are code-breaking trails and activities for children available throughout the summer. See www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk for more information.

Winchester is set to appear on the big screen once again in early 2007, when it will feature in Shekhar Kapur's 'The Golden Age' - the hotly anticipated follow-up to Kapur's award-winning 'Elizabeth'.

www.visitbritain.com

the apple of Sophie in Da Vinci Code...