Rosslyn Chapel -why do you go.
 

Just curious, do people go to this chapel because it is a nice , different or attractive site or because of the di Vinci code connection? Was it as popular before the book?

The first time I went there was in 1975. loooooong before Dan B. had even thought of tarting it up in his book. I personally think the book has had terrible consequences. It used to be a fascinating, quiet place where one could actually examine the 'prentice pillar and other carvings. Now it is all tour groups and crowds schlepping through w/ copies of the book in hand - no interest in the chapel itself or the history - just how it factors in the book.

So you're saying it's not fascinating any more, and one can no longer examine the Prentice Pillar and other carvings?

Or are you saying that only people of the most refined tastes have any right to be there?

Or that interest in a work of fiction is a less legitimate pursuit than art history or archaeology?

Or what?

We went to Rosslyn Chapel on our visit to Edinburgh. We wanted to see it because of the Templar history and the Sinclair's.

We enjoyed riding the bus out into the countryside. The location is beautiful. I did expect it to be a bit bigger. The inside is so interesting with all the carvings. There was scaffolding around the top when we were there 3 years ago. I think there still is.

If your question has to do with is it worth the trip, yes, if you like that sort of thing. I would suggest going early or late in the day to avoid crowds.

&quot;<i>are you saying that only people of the most refined tastes have any right to be there</i>&quot;

Of course not. But the crowds are causing the chapel all sorts of problems. It wasn't designed to accomodate hundreds of people every day. It is a very small country Chapel. The mobs are damaging the fabric of the bldg. Unfortunately the majority of people going there now are just ticking off another site from DC . . . . .

We have been there a few times over the years. We go because it is unique.

Here is a good one though. On our last trip, just before the movie came out but when people had &quot;read&quot; about it, there is a little horse barn and stable across the road. Honest, the people had a wheel barrow with bags of &quot;DaVinci Code Manure&quot; for sale.

I can only imagine the look on the customs agent on arrival..&quot;And what may I ask is THIS?&quot; Naw, Regina didn't let me buy a bag.

:-)
dave

I guess they didn't own a bull......;)

&quot;<i>&quot;DaVinci Code Manure&quot;</i>&quot; :D

And probably 80% of the folks on the tour buses had no idea what that farmer was saying . . . . .

&quot;Unfortunately the majority of people going there now are just ticking off another site from DC . . . . .&quot;

And you would deny them that pleasure, while indulging your own? There's a word for that.

I read DaVinci Code right when it came out and was going to Edinburgh then anyway. I visited Rosslyn Chapel because it sounded interesting and I hadn't read about it at all in my travel reading as I prepared for the trip. It was an extremely interesting visit. We were completely alone there that day, by the way; it was hardly overridden by tourists.

We went because my husband's parents (who live in Aberdeen) had gone years ago and always recommended it. Have I read the book? Yes. Do I see the advantages of more people now visiting because of the book? Of course. More $ for renovations etc.

I thought the tour guide did a really good job, her talk made the place come alive for us. She had a few movie jokes in there, but mostly she made sure we realized it was not a movie set.

I don't go. I think the &quot;history&quot; is hokey. I don't care about the Masons one way or the other, and I certainly think the Da Vinci Code is mince.

amelie: &quot;<i>Do I see the advantages of more people now visiting because of the book? Of course. More $ for renovations etc.</i>&quot;

Unfortunately, the extra damage caused is <u>much</u> greater than the money those visitors bring in. The Chapel was even considering cutting the number of people allowed and banning coach groups altogether. Not sure if that is still on the table - but over-usage is a very serious problem.

I went to see it this summer because the Green Guide has it listed as worthwhile. I did not read the <i>Da Vinci Code</i> and knew nothing about the connection. It is definitely worth a visit independent of any association with some fiction story.

That's the problem with religious sites. They keep attracting the masses.

Including people of the same literacy level as those whose labour (and tax or tithe money) actually built the aforesaid sites.

Many of these same illiterate masses sometimes insisted on going on tours - pilgrimages they were called back then - to spots that had suddenly seized their imagination, and which heretofore had been relatively peaceful and obscure.

It is generally held that they went on account of the popularity of some book (generally read aloud to them by some educated person as they themselves, as already noted, could not read.) Site or spot was invariably associated in some way with said book.

Jury is divided about the fiction/nonfiction quality of aforesaid book. But it continues to attract the attention of scholars - who as noted caused all the fuss in the first place.

In other words, blame the scholars for the crowds.

OK I went this past August 31 and was astonished at the size of the mob.
I had a genuine interest in the place because it is so unusual. True, the Da Vinci Code called my attention to it initially, but I also knew that much of the book which is claimed to be fact is manure as described above.

The novel is a good yarn. Claiming more for it is as stated.

If people have a genuine interest in the chapel as a piece of Scottish history, let me recommend strongly an interactive CD entitled simply: Rosslyn Chapel.

It is produced by The Virtual Tourist
which can be accessed at www.thevirtualtourist.co.uk
There are many photographs on the CD that are not available to the average visitor.

The CD runs under Windows and the Mac operating system. I had no trouble running it under Vista.

The photography is stunning I might add. I recommend that anyone who is interested in Rosslyn Chapel obtain a copy of the disk.

It might be available through the Rosslyn Chapel web site. I bought mine at the gift shop at the chapel.

Because of the staggering dollar, it is not cheap. But considering its quality, I don't regret a single penny of what I paid.

Bob_Brown, you were there at the time of year when Edinburgh is mobbed because of the Festival. Everything around Edinburgh and all the tourist sites are mobbed too.Unless one is going specifically to attend or participate in the Festival, there are forty-eight other weeks in the year when it's less crowded.