Istanbul will be anticipating a tourism boom caused by a rather more modern phenomenon than the 16th century’s great cultural revival – the work of Dan Brown, the author of the bestseller The Da Vinci Code.
Dan Brown’s highly anticipated new thriller “Inferno” was released this week. The book has featured on the front pages of many Turkish newspapers as a significant portion of the novel is set in Istanbul. The book has been published in 12 countries.
The story begins in Florence and then moves to Sienna. Later on, the storyline also sees Robert Langdon travel beyond the borders of Italy and into Turkey – where the evocative streets of Istanbul also play their part in the unfolding tale.
Locations include the Basilica Cistern – a colossal subterranean chamber that was used to store water in the era when Istanbul was the ancient city of Byzantium.
The hero of the book, Robert Langdon, makes an important discovery in the Hagia Sophia museum. Earlier, two cover designs for the forthcoming book for the U.S. and UK editions had been also revealed, both featuring images of the Italian poet Dante. Brown was reportedly inspired by Dante’s epic poem “Inferno,” which was written in the 14th century.
“Inferno” features the return of renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, and centers on one of history’s most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces.
In his international blockbusters “The Da Vinci Code,” “Angels & Demons,” and “The Lost Symbol,” Dan Brown masterfully fused history, art, codes and symbols. In this riveting new thriller, Brown returns to his element and has crafted his highest-stakes novel to date.
Brown has been criticised for historical inaccuracies in his writing – but if Inferno sparks a wave of fascinated tourists, then neither Florence nor Istanbul is likely to complain.
