Rosslyn Chapel, originally named the Collegiate Chapel of St.
Matthew, is a 15th century church in the village of Roslin,
Midlothian, Scotland. The chapel was designed by William Sinclair
(also spelled "St. Clair") of the St. Clair family, a Scottish
noble family descended from Norman knights and, according to
legend, linked to the Scottish Knights Templar.[citation needed]
Construction of the chapel began in 1440, and the chapel was
officially founded in 1446, with construction lasting for forty
years.
As of 2006, the structure brings in about 115,000 visitors per
year, [citation needed] many of whom are curious about the
building's association with the 2003 bestselling novel, The Da
Vinci Code, and the mythical Priory of Sion.
