- Tourist Information
- Map
- When was the Sistine Chapel built and who was the artist that made the famous frescoes?
- What is the main purpose of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican?
- What are the most remarkable works of art in the Sistine Chapel?
- How long did the process of creating these artworks take?
- Is there any special event that takes place in this chapel?
- Are there any special rules when visiting the Sistine Chapel?
- Are there secrets and hidden messages in the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel?
- The Last Judgment
- Are there any legends associated with this chapel?
- Paintings with hidden messages
- Eye of Horus
Tourist Information
| Opening Year | 1506 |
| Type | Chapel |
| Getting there | Bus (stops) 49, in front of the entrance to the Museum 32, 81, 982, Piazza del Risorgimento (end-of-line) (5-minute walk) 492, 990, Via Leone IV / Via degli Scipioni (5-minute walk). Tram 19, Piazza del Risorgimento (5-minute walk). |
| When to visit | There is no better time to visit the Vatican when it is less crowded. The Vatican is the most popular tourist destination in Rome and there are always many tourists. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the best choices. Mornings are crowded due to groups arriving early, afternoons are less crowded. The winter months are less crowded than the summer months. |
| Tickets price / Visiting Hours | Monday – Saturday: entrance from 9 am to 4 pm | closing time at 6 pm (exit from rooms half an hour before closing time). Closed: Sunday, except the last Sunday of every month (free entrance from 9 am to 12.30 pm and closing at 2 pm), unless it coincides with Easter Sunday, 8th, 25th, and 26th of December, 1st, and 6th of January, 11th of February, 19th of March, 5th, and 6th of April, 1st of May, 29th of June and 15th of August. PRICES The admission ticket to the Vatican Museums includes a visit to the Sistine Chapel. Full: € 17.00 Reduced: € 8.00 Scholastic Ticket: € 4.00 *In order to avoid long queues we highly recommend you buy your ticket online with a € 4.00 fee from the official site. * On the last Sunday of every month, entrance is free. 09.00 a.m. – 02.00 p.m. (final entry 12.30 p.m.) It will seem obvious, but we remind you that queues increase considerably on this occasion! For precise visiting hours and ticket pricing information, kindly refer to the official website. |
Website | www.museivaticani.va |
| Location | 00120, Vatican City, Italy, Europe |
Map
When was the Sistine Chapel built and who was the artist that made the famous frescoes?
The Sistine Chapel was built between 1473 and 1481, during the reign of Pope Sixtus IV, hence its name. The main architect responsible for the construction was Baccio Pontelli, but Giovannino de Dolci was also involved.
The famous frescoes were created by the Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo Buonarroti. Michelangelo’s most renowned frescoes in the Sistine Chapel are part of a larger project commissioned by Pope Julius II. The project included the painting of the chapel’s ceiling and the altar wall.
The most famous section of the Sistine Chapel ceiling features scenes from the Book of Genesis, including the iconic “The Creation of Adam,” which depicts the touching fingers of God and Adam. Michelangelo worked on these frescoes between 1508 and 1512.
What is the main purpose of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican?
The main purpose of the Sistine Chapel is to serve as a gathering place for papal conclaves, where cardinals meet to elect a new pope. In addition, the Chapel is home to some of the most famous works of religious art in the world.
What are the most remarkable works of art in the Sistine Chapel?
The most remarkable works of art found in the Sistine Chapel include the frescoes on the ceiling, notably Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam” and “The Last Judgment,” as well as “Piero’s Painting” and “The Perseverance of the Maccabees” by Perugino.
The paintings on the ceiling depict the story of Creation, beginning with the “Creation of Light” and ending with the “Creation of Adam“. The frescoes on the altar wall, such as “The Last Judgment,” represent the apocalyptic moment of Judgment in the Bible.
Michelangelo’s frescoes include depictions of God, Adam, Eve, Noah, and many other biblical characters and scenes.
How long did the process of creating these artworks take?
The process of creating the frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel took about four years, between 1508 and 1512. Michelangelo returned later to paint the Last Judgment between 1536 and 1541.
Michelangelo used a painting technique called “a fresco” or “al secco,” which involves applying paint directly to wet plaster, which allows the colors to become permanently integrated into the surface of the plaster.
Is there any special event that takes place in this chapel?
One of the most important religious events that takes place in the Sistine Chapel is the election of the new pope during the conclaves.
Are there any special rules when visiting the Sistine Chapel?
There are strict rules regarding appropriate dress and quiet behavior while visiting to maintain a respectful and sacred environment in the chapel. Also, flash photography and cell phone use are usually prohibited in the Sistine Chapel to protect the fragile works of art.
Are there secrets and hidden messages in the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel?
Take a closer look at the paintings. Michelangelo’s attention to detail is often overlooked by those who simply pass by.
Interestingly, the tree from which Eve takes the forbidden fruit is a fig tree, not an apple tree. This can be seen in the shapes of its leaves, according to Jewish mysticism.
While Cracked has previously noted that Michelangelo may have intentionally painted God to resemble a giant brain in his Sistine Chapel fresco, a professor from Yeshiva University suggests that there are even deeper symbols of Jewish mysticism, or kabbalah, hidden throughout Michelangelo’s work.
A professor and art historian have identified the female figure under God’s arm in the Sistine Chapel as Shekhinah, a significant figure in kabbalah.
The Chapel’s dimensions, described in the Old Testament, match those of the Temple of Solomon on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.
The Chapel is named after its commissioner, Pope Sixtus IV, whose name in Italian is “Sisto”. Although the Chapel is renowned for Michelangelo’s frescoes, Sisto had commissioned painters like Botticelli to fresco the chapel’s long walls with the stories of Moses and Christ.
Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Sistine Chapel features nine central panels illustrating stories from the Book of Genesis, from the Creation to the tale of Noah. Interestingly, Michelangelo painted these panels in reverse chronological order, with the final scenes depicting God’s creation of the sun, moon, Earth, darkness, and light.
Michelangelo intentionally saved the images of God for last, as he knew they would be the most challenging and desired to excel in his portrayal of the divine.
The Last Judgment
On the wall behind the altar of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo painted The Last Judgement. This masterpiece depicts the second coming of Christ on the Day of Judgment, as described in Revelation of John, Chapter 20.
Michelangelo’s fresco “The Last Judgment” in the Sistine Chapel is a masterpiece of Renaissance art filled with symbolism and hidden details.
“The Last Judgment” depicts the Second Coming of Christ and the final judgment of souls. Christ is at the center, surrounded by angels and saints. He is shown with his right hand raised in a gesture of blessing and his left hand pointing downwards, signifying the separation of the saved and damned.
Michelangelo’s decision to depict many of the figures, including Christ and the saints, in the nude, was a daring choice. It was met with both admiration and criticism in his time. Some viewed it as a representation of the soul’s vulnerability, while others deemed it too sensual.
There is a common belief that Michelangelo included a self-portrait in the flayed skin of St. Bartholomew, who holds his skin as a reference to his martyrdom. Michelangelo’s face is thought to be depicted on this skin.
Michelangelo used his artistic skill to create a vivid depiction of the damned being dragged into Hell by demons, contrasting with the saved rising towards Heaven. The chaotic and tumultuous scenes in Hell are especially striking.
Elements of “The Last Judgment” are thought to be influenced by Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy”, particularly his descriptions of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.
Criticism and Cover-Up: After the fresco was completed, it received criticism from some members of the Church for its nudity and perceived irreverence. As a result, later in the 16th century, an artist named Daniele da Volterra was commissioned to paint drapery over some of the nude figures, which earned him the nickname “Il Braghettone” (the breeches-painter).
Are there any legends associated with this chapel?
Paintings with hidden messages
In the paintings in the Vatican Museum, including those in the Sistine Chapel, some researchers and conspiracy theorists have argued that the artist may have hidden secret messages or symbols in their works, which would have occult or esoteric meanings.
Eye of Horus
On the ceiling of the Sistine Head, there is a representation of God touching the finger of Adam, a famous image known as the “Creation of Adam” and one of the most famous works of art in the world. Some suggest that the outline of God and angels looks like a brain or the eye of Horus, an ancient Egyptian symbol.
