Dan Brown’s ‘Da Vinci Code’ is one of my favourite books. I was enamoured by the manner in which Dan Brown juxtaposed facts and fiction, making the readers almost believe that this is how it happened. I had visited the Louvre Museum some time back, but after reading the book, I wanted to revisit it as the starting point of the Da Vinci Code trail. The opportunity arose during a transit through Paris in 2005, but it happened to be a holiday for the museum on account of May Day. This left me with the option of visiting another scene of action in the book, namely St.Sulpice Church. And was it worth the trouble! 
The Louvre and the Glass Pyramid
The present church of Saint Sulpice was constructed in the 17th century on the site of an earlier building (the ancient temple to the Egyptian goddess Isis, according to Dan Brown), the remains of which are visible in the crypt of the church. A number of additions and modifications were done during the 17th and 18th centuries. The church had a turbulent history and ceased to be a place of worship during the French Revolution. Many of its treasures were pillaged . It was again restored during the first half of 19th century.
The Nave of the Church
As mentioned in the 'Code', the astronomical gnomon is a major attraction of the church.
The gnomon is an astronomical instrument designed to follow the variations in the height of the sun at noon. It works by means of a 'meridian' line traced on the floor of the transept by a brass insert in the stone pavement. It is carefully laid from south to north and continues on a white marble obelisk. In the book, the 
meridian is referred to as the 'Rose Line' and ostensibly represented the time line before 'Greenwich Meridian' was accepted as the new time line. The ornate vault, the beautiful choir and the elegant stained glass windows all add to the magnificence of the church.
To see a video of St.Sulpice Church, please click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI6B-T7C9g4&feature=channel_page
The Organ Case
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