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Contents
Sistine Chapel in Rome | History, Highlights & More
St. Peter's BasilicaSistine Chapel
Book Your Tickets to Sistine Chapel
Why Visit Sistine Chapel?
- Marvel at the beautiful works of art that are housed inside the chapel, such as the Stories of Moses and Christ and the portraits of the Popes executed by Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Cosimo Rosselli, and their assistants.
- View the works of marble such as the screen, choir stalls, and the pontifical coat of arms by the entrance door.
- View the Stories of Genesis painted by Michelangelo Buonarroti on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
- View the Last Judgment painted on the altar wall by Michelangelo up close.
- Soak in the surreality of being in a place that is believed to be the "place of the action of the Holy Spirit that nominates the Bishops in the Church".
Where is Sistine Chapel Located?
Address: Vatican Museums, 00120 Vatican City
Getting There
- By Metro: Board a metro on Line A and alight at Ottaviano S. Pietro metro station, located an 8-minute walk away from Sistine Chapel.
- By Bus: Take buses 492 from Roma Termini. Alight at Bastioni Di Michelangelo, a 4-minute walk away from Sistine Chapel.
- By Train: Get off at Vatican City’s train station: St. Pietro, which is about 2 km away from Vatican Museums.
Sistine Chapel Hightlights
Southern Wall
The Southern Wall features frescoes that depict the Stories of Moses. Originally consisting of eight panels, the series began from the altar wall with the Birth and Finding of Moses by Perugino. However, this fresco was replaced by the Last Judgement. Today, the cycle features the following frescos:
- Journey of Moses in Egypt
- Events in the life of Moses
- Crossing of the Red Sea
- Handing over the Tablets of Law
- Punishment of Korah
- Legacy and death of Moses
The series of Pontiffs runs along all the walls. The figures of Christ and the first pope Peter, as well as Linus and Cletus, were also lost when Michelangelo painted the Last Judgement. In the lunettes and webs above, Michelangelo painted the Forefathers of Christ as listed at the beginning of the Gospel of St Matthew.
Northern Wall
This wall features the stories of Christ. The frescoes were originally distributed over eight panels, beginning with the scene of Nativity painted by Perugino on the altar wall. This too was destroyed to make room for The Last Judgement. Today, the frescos depicting the events of the life of Christ follow this sequence:
- Baptism
- Temptations of Christ
- Calling of the Apostles
- Sermon on the Mount & curing of the leper
- Handing over the Keys
- Last Supper
Beyond the windows, you can see three episodes of the Passion, that is, the Agony in the garden, the Arrest of Jesus, and the Crucifixion. The cycle ends with the Resurrection of Christ, which can be seen on the entrance wall. The series of Pontiffs continues on this wall.
Entrance Wall
This wall features frescos that depict the two final episodes of the cycles of Moses and Christ. This includes:
- The Resurrection of Christ by Ghirlandaio
- Discussion over the body of Moses by Signorelli.
The paintings, however, were destroyed in 1522. During the pontificate of Gregory XIII, the paintings were replaced. The Resurrection was replaced by Hendrik van den Broeck and Matteo da Lecce executed the replacement for Signorelli's work. The portrayal of the Popes continues on to this wall.
Frescos by Michelangelo
Sistine Chapel Ceiling
Julius II decided to have the decoration on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel renovated as the excavations carried out on the north and to the south of the building for the construction of the Borgia Tower and for the new St Peter's has resulted in a crack on the ceiling. While the ceiling was fixed by Bramante, the original fresco was damaged in the process. He tasked Michelangelo with replacing the paintings on the ceiling, which stretches over 5,000 square meters; approximately 40m long and 13 m wide, at a height of 21m. The frescoes depict over 300 Biblical scenes, the most famous ones being the ones depicting episodes from the Book of Genesis. The high Renaissance artwork took over four years, from 1508 to 1512, and was made painstakingly while standing upright on a special scaffold designed by Michelangelo himself.
The Last Judgement
The Last Judgement is one of the most important legacies of Michelangelo. Painted between 1536 and 1541, the fresco centers around Christ, at the moment before the Last Judgement is uttered. He is depicted in a calm manner, commanding attention and calming down the agitated crowd. Next to Christ, you will spot the Virgin, who looks resigned at the turn of events. Around them, you will find the Saints and the Elect, awaiting the verdict. One of these figures is St Bartholomew, who holds flayed skin on which you can find a self-portrait of Michelangelo. In the lower section are the angels of the Apocalypse, the risen recovering their bodies and angels and devils fighting.
The Last Judgement was at the receiving end of some harsh criticism for its nudity. In 1564, the Congregation of the Council of Trent decided to have some of the figures of the Judgement covered. The task was given to Daniele da Volterra.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sistine Chapel
Q. What is the Sistine Chapel?
A. Located in the Apostolic Palace, the Sistine Chapel is the chapel of the Papal Chapel, aka the pontifical household, and the sight on the Papal Conclave. It is also a popular tourist attraction that is home to some spectacular frescoes created by Michelangelo.
Q. Where is Sistine Chapel located?
A. The Sistine Chapel is located inside the Vatican Museums at 00120 Vatican City.
Q. What are the opening hours of Sistine Chapel?
A. Sistine Chapel is open from Monday to Saturday from 9 AM to 6 PM. Every last Sunday of the month, Sistine Chapel is open from 9 AM to 2 PM.
Q. When was Sistine Chapel built?
A. The Sistine Chapel was built between 1477 and 1480.
Q. Are Sistine Chapel tickets available online?
A. Yes, you can now book your Sistine Chapel tickets online now. You can book your Sistine Chapel tickets here.
Q. Can I take photographs inside Sistine Chapel?
A. No, photography is strictly prohibited inside the Sistine Chapel.
Q. Where can I buy tickets to Sistine Chapel?
A. You can buy tickets to Sistine Chapel online.
Q. What can I see inside Sistine Chapel?
A. Inside Sistine Chapel you will find frescoes depicting the lives of Moses and Jesus, as well as The Last Judgment and the ceiling that had been painted by Michelangelo.
Q. Are guided tours of the Sistine Chapel available?
Yes, guided tours of the Sistine Chapel will be available with Vatican tour.
