Nicholas Flamel features in both the book and the film called ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ as Albus Dumbledore’s friend. Therefore, it is easy for those who do not know to assume that he is a fictional character. However, Nicholas Flamel is a real person who worked as a scribe and a manuscript seller and also earned a reputation as an alchemist posthumously. It is believed that Flamel discovered the Philosopher’s Stone which gives the person who possesses it immortality. Despite becoming a legendary figure in alchemy, there is no actual historical evidence that he even worked in this field. He was born in Pontoise, France, in 1340, although the exact date of his birth is unknown. Here are five facts you might not know about Nicholas Flamel.
1. He Was Married to Perenelle
In 1368, Nicholas Flamel married Perenelle. Flamel was her third husband and she came to the marriage as a wealthy benefactress. She was generous with her money and made donations to the hostels and the churches. Just like her husband, Perenelle developed a false reputation as an alchemist. The couple remained childless and Perenelle died in 1397.
2. He Has a Street Named After Him
Flamel has a street in Paris named after him. The Rue Nicolas Flamel is close to the Louvre Museum. His wife also had a street named after her, Rue Perenelle, and this intersects with Rue Nicolas Flamel. However, neither of these streets were named because they were places that Flamel or his wife lived. There is one of his homes that still stands in Paris but this is located at 51 Rue de Montmorency. Flamel’s former home is the oldest stone house in Paris.
3. He is a Character in Many Horror Films
Although the fact that Flamel was a character named in the Harry Potter series of books, few people realize that he also featured as a character in many other books and also movies. One genre of movies in which he has repeatedly appeared or is mentioned as a character in horror movies. These include ‘The Resurrected’, released in 1991, and the 2014 horror movie ‘As Above’, ‘So Below’.
4. He is Mentioned in the Da Vinci Code
Flamel is also mentioned in ‘The Da Vinci Code’. This was a best-selling mystery-detective book written by Dan Brown and released in 2003. In this novel, Flamel is mentioned as one of the Grand Masters of the Priory of Sion. ‘The Da Vinci Code’ was translated into over forty languages and adapted into a movie which was released in 2006. This film was followed by two sequels; ‘Angels & Demons’ in 2009 and ‘Inferno’ in 2016.
5. He Designed His Own Tombstone
Around 1410, Flamel designed his own tombstone. It features images of St. Peter, St. Paul, and Christ. When he died in 1418, he was buried in the Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie in Paris. His will showed that he was a generous man but did not have the wealth of a legendary alchemist. The tombstone he designed is now at the Musée de Cluny in Paris.
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