Hotel de Russie invites its guests inside the Secret Archives of the Vatican
Rome, April 2012 – Rocco Forte’s Hotel de Russie has partnered with Rome’s Capitoline Museums to announce the most exciting museum display ever to be launched in the history of Rome.
For the first time, the ‘Lux in Arcana’ exhibition, running until September, puts on display documents from the Vatican Secret Archive buried beneath the Holy See. They shed light not just on the powerful — and often nefarious — history of the Catholic Church, but also on the history of Europe.
The documents describe the inquisition of Galileo Galilei, the case against the Knights Templar and the order for Martin Luther’s excommunication. Also on display is a parchment in Latin with the seal of 83 English Lords — found hidden inside a chair in the Vatican in 1926 — seeking an annulment for King Henry VIII so he could marry new flame Anne Boleyn. Henry's failure to obtain Papal approval ultimately led to the Reformation in Britain.
The “Lux in Arcana” (translation from the Latin: "Light in the Archives") exhibition at Capitoline Museums has been organised by the Vatican to mark the 400th anniversary of the Archive, which was the subject of Dan Brown's post-da Vinci Code blockbuster Angels and Demons. One hundred documents have been selected from thousands covering the 8th to the 20th century.
Other fascinating items on display include the 1493 papal bull granting Spain land discovered by Christopher Columbus and calling for the conversion of the indigenous people of the Americas; a bark letter from the chief of a Native American tribe to Leo XIII expressing gratitude for the arrival of the missionaries and an invoice from Michelangelo for work done.
Only available to guests staying at Hotel de Russie, a 1.5 hours private guided tour of the exhibition can be arranged. This tour can be tailor made, focusing on specific documents of interest to each visitor.
Hotel de Russie's “Lux in Arcana package” includes:
• A two-night stay in a double classic room (with upgrade subject to availability) with breakfast
• Tickets to the exhibition
• A copy of the official exhibition catalogue
The package starts from €485 per room, per night (10% VAT and city tax excluded) and is based on two people sharing a double classic room for a minimum two-night stay. The private guided tour of the exhibition and the Capitoline Museums costs €100 per tour. The offer is valid until September 15th.
For more information or to book, visit www.roccofortehotels.com
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Notes to Editors
Rocco Forte Hotels
Rocco Forte Hotels is a family of 13 individual hotels and resorts. Each property has a unique style, reflecting its nationality and location, but all share Rocco Forte Hotels’ trademark attention to detail, high quality and immaculate service.
Established by Sir Rocco Forte in 1996, Rocco Forte Hotels comprises: Hotel de Russie, Rome; Hotel Savoy, Florence; The Balmoral, Edinburgh; The Lowry Hotel, Manchester; Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg; Hotel Amigo, Brussels; Brown’s Hotel, London; Villa Kennedy, Frankfurt; Hotel de Rome, Berlin; The Charles Hotel, Munich; Augustine Hotel, Prague; Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily; Rocco Forte Hotel Abu Dhabi. Future openings: Jeddah 2013; Marrakech 2014; Cairo 2014; Luxor 2014.
www.roccofortehotels.com
Media Enquiries:
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Rocco Forte Hotels
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