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Temple Church
Medieval church built by Knights Templar, featured in Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code with round nave and effigies.
About
Hidden in legal London's labyrinth, this round church built by Knights Templar (1185) survived Great Fire and Blitz. Modeled on Jerusalem's Holy Sepulchre, the circular nave's sacred geometry transported warrior monks to the Holy Land. The 1240 Gothic chancel contrasts Romanesque solidity—architectural evolution in stone.
Crusader Legacy
Medieval knight effigies include William Marshal, "greatest knight who ever lived," Magna Carta guarantor. Crossed legs indicate crusade participation. These aren't generic monuments but portraits of history-shapers. The church witnessed Templar trials and constitutional negotiations.
Exceptional acoustics make this premier concert venue. Weekly services feature professional choirs maintaining sacred polyphony traditions. The rebuilt organ fills space with sound emanating from architecture itself. "Da Vinci Code" brought tourists, though real mysteries prove more fascinating.
Finding Temple
Navigate through Inner/Middle Temple's legal maze—ask porters for directions. Open Monday-Friday, limited weekend hours. Free entry, donations welcome. Wednesday organ recitals during term time. Sunday services welcome all.
The Masters Garden provides peaceful refuge. Recent restoration revealed medieval paintings. This working church for legal profession offers sanctuary where crusaders prayed, constitutional principles formed, and eight centuries of worship continue unbroken.