UK's The Herald reports that tom Hanks and Ron Howard will appear on set at a fifteenth-century church in Scotland this morning to begin filming scenes for the film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code.

Hanks, who plays the lead character in the film version of Dan Brown's best-selling novel, said: "I have been admiring the city and am looking forward to spending time here. I am really excited to be here."

The historic church will be closed to visitors for four days while filming takes place. Crews have been preparing the area around the chapel for the stars' arrival and it is now almost impossible to get near the building, which is famed for its intricate carvings. Although it is a historic attraction in its own right, visitor numbers at Rosslyn Chapel have soared by 56% to 70,000 since the publication of Brown's book.

While in Paris on business, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) receives an urgent late-night phone call: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum. Near the body, police have found a baffling cipher. While working to solve the enigmatic riddle, Langdon is stunned to discover it leads to a trail of clues hidden in the works of Da Vinci -- clues visible for all to see -- yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Langdon joins forces with a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, and learns the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion -- an actual secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, among others.

In a breathless race through Paris, London, and beyond, Langdon and Neveu match wits with a faceless powerbroker who seems to anticipate their every move. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle in time, the Priory's ancient secret -- and an explosive historical truth -- will be lost forever.

The Da Vinci Code was released May 19th, 2006 and stars Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Jean Reno, Paul Bettany, Alfred Molina, Jürgen Prochnow, Jean-Yves Berteloot. The film is directed by Ron Howard.