Assassin's Creed II – Glyphs and statuettes guide

If you’ve been playing Assassin’s Creed II for a while, you already know that the 100 hidden feathers that litter the game are only the beginning of what the game offers obsessive collector-types. The real prizes are the Glyphs, 20 semi-hidden signs left plastered on certain landmarks, which were hacked into the Animus by the mysterious Subject 16. Once you’ve found them – which can be tough considering the size of some of the marked buildings – you’ll then be tasked with solving a brief series of puzzles before you can crack the increasingly horrifying conspiracy story within.  And after that’s all done, you can finally piece together the snippets of video left behind by Subject 16 and figure out who this woman is:

Above: As if you haven’t already guessed 

Read on, and we’ll show you where every last Glyph is hiding and the solutions to their puzzles (in a separate section) – and, as a bonus, we’ll also show you where to find all the statues in Monteriggioni, so you can pocket an easy 8,000 florins and the Myth Maker Achievement/Trophy. True completionists will also want to check out our feathers and treasures guide – and if you’re still on the fence about whether to buy the game, why not read our Super Review?

GLYPHS: WHERE TO FIND 'EM

FLORENCE
• Glyphs Map
• La Rosa Colta
• Santa Croce
• Ospedale Degli Innocenti
• San Lorenzo
• Mercato Vecchio 

MONTERIGGIONI
• Glyphs and Statuettes Map
• Villa Auditore
• Statuette Guide 

TUSCANY/SAN GIMIGNANO
• Glyphs Map
• Monte Oliveto Maggiore
• Antico Teatro Romano
• Santa Maria Assunta/Torre Grossa
• Torri dei Salvucci
• Torre dei Diavolo 

ROMAGNA/FORLI
• Glyphs Map
• Avamposto Veneziano
• Abbazia di San Mercuriale 

VENICE
• Glyphs Map
• Gilda dei Ladri di Venezia
• San Giacomo di Rialto
• Ponte di Rialto
• Scuola Grande di San Marco
• Torre Dell'Orologio
• Campanile di San Marco
• San Pietro di Castello 

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS
Puzzle 1 | Puzzle 2 | Puzzle 3 | Puzzle 4 | Puzzle 5 | Puzzle 6 | Puzzle 7 | Puzzle 8 | Puzzle 9 | Puzzle 10 | Puzzle 11 | Puzzle 12 | Puzzle 13 | Puzzle 14 | Puzzle 15 | Puzzle 16 | Puzzle 17 | Puzzle 18 | Puzzle 19 | Puzzle 20 | 

Florence

Above: Click the image for a full-sized version

Glyph locations:

La Rosa Colta: The first Glyph you find is also one of the easiest. While facing La Rosa Colta’s front door, climb the building’s façade until you reach the roof. The Glyph’s on the wall of the roof’s second tier.

Santa Croce: Clamber up onto the north side of Santa Croce’s lower roof, and look east.

Ospedale Degli Innocenti: Climb up onto the roof on the eastern side of the Ospedale, then face south. The Glyph should be visible from about the mid-point of the roof.

San Lorenzo: Squeeze in between the bell tower and the dome near the cathedral’s northwest edge; the Glyph is between them, on the bell tower’s southern wall.

Mercato Vecchio: Climb up onto the low roof at the northeast corner of the Mercato Vecchio and look for this mark on the eastern side:

Monteriggioni

Above: Click the image for a full-sized version 

Glyph location:

Villa Auditore: If this Glyph is giving you any trouble, you’re making it much harder than it needs to be. While facing the villa’s front door, run over toward the left side of the house.. You’ll see what looks like a faint barcode on the upper-left corner of its façade; climb up there and scan it.

Statuette locations:

There’s just one Glyph in Monteriggioni, but to compensate for it the town has a collectible feature you won’t find anywhere else: statuettes of the Roman gods. Finding them will net you 2,000 florins for every pair you can reunite on their pedestals, which are positioned around the grounds of the villa. Grab all eight, and the Myth Maker Achievement/Trophy is yours. Here’s where they’re hiding:

Mars: The Roman god of war is super-easy to find; just ascend the steps on the left that lead up to the villa, and then turn left again. He’s right there on the wall.

Venus: The Roman goddess of love can be found pretty close to her partner, Mars – just head to the southwest corner of the villa’s grounds and look out past the barrier – she’s stuck to a wall and easy to retrieve.

Pluto: Another gimme, Pluto can be found at the southeast edge of the villa grounds; just ascend the staircase on the right that leads to the villa and turn right to find the alcove he’s hiding in.

Neptune: Pluto’s partner Neptune is hiding in plain sight, one block east of the center of town. Just look for the little garden with the tree at its center and a bench in front. He’s glued to the back wall.

Jupiter: The king of the gods is hiding just under the eastern edge of the church’s roof – climb up and drop down to grab him.

Minerva: Jupiter’s daughter can be found southwest of where you found him, above a low rooftop on the wall of a house.

Diana: The moon goddess can be found hanging above an arch that’s slightly northwest of the town’s front gate.

Apollo: Diana’s brother can be found clinging to a high wall a block or so west of where you found Diana, on a building just east of the city’s wall.

Next page: Tuscany/San Gimignano and Romagna/Forli!