Sistine Chapel
- Address:Viale Vaticano, Vatican City
- Hours:Open Mon - Sat 9am - 6pm (last entry at 4pm)
- Admission:Adults: €12-18
11:33 PM Sunday, May 27
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The world-famous Sistine Chapel is inside the Pope's residence in the Vatican. Part of its fame is directly related to the papacy: The Sistine Chapel is where cardinals gather to elect a new pope (known as the Papal Conclave).
The primary reason for its fame is pure art: the ceiling fresco painted by Michelangelo between 1508
and 1512. The huge fresco depicts the creation of the world and - despite the often shoulder-to-shoulder crowds in the Sistine Chapel - packs a powerful artistic punch (heightened by a recent renovation here that brought back the true color and depth of the original work).
Michelangelo returned to the Sistine Chapel
between 1537 and 1541 and painted the magnificent 'Last Judgment' fresco on
the altar wall. Few people leave a Sistine Chapel tour without feeling moved by Michelangelo's work.
The chapel itself is named after Pope Sixtus IV (1414 - 84), who renovated an old chapel and commissioned the first artworks here. And there is more to the Sistine Chapel than just Michelangelo: the chapel contains important works by Renaissance heavyweights such as Raphael, Bernini, and Botticelli.
Latest Reviews All Sistine Chapel Reviews »
Both my wife and I enjoyed this tour our guide Tiffany certainly knew the Vatican history and what lies within even to the point of informing us that all our belongings were now owned by the Pope although there yours again once you leave the Vatican. The only downside were the idiots taking pictures inside the sistine chapel which not allowed of all nationalities, come on Vatican officials please enforce this so that the frescos will last for generations to come
David
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We saw the museum early in the morning without the crowds of people. Our guide pointed out the important pieces. By the time we got to the Sistine chapel the crowds were starting to build. The enterance to St. Peter's also very crowded. The wait in lines to St. Peter's by that time were an hour or more. The Skip the Line early morning tour is the way to go.
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The tour guide was excellent and answered all questions. The group was small and it was easy for everyone in the group to stay together. It was great skipping all of the lines. I booked this tour before we left home and everything worked like a charm- the group was easy to locate, the head sets worked great. My husband and I were very happy with this tour and would certainly recommend it for anyone wanting to see the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's. This was an excellent value.
Continue Reading »Practical Info
The Sistine Chapel is inside the Vatican, entered via the Vatican Museum around the corner from St Peter's Square. It can be reached by Metro Line A, station Ottaviana-S. Pietro-Musei Vaticano or Cipro. Tram 19 to Piazza del Risorgimento, or many buses.
Please note: Due to large crowds, the lines both inside and outside can be very long. We highly recommend you pre-purchase a skip-the-line ticket to the Vatican and Sistine Chapel (see the Tours & Tickets tab for options).
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