The Sistine Chapel is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican City, the official residence of the Pope. It was built in 1473-1481 by the architect Giorgio de' Dolchi to designs by Bacio Pontelli, commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV. This is where the name comes from. The Sistine Chapel is a magnificent example of the Renaissance, now a museum, although it is where the conclave at which the cardinals elect the new Pope takes place. The chapel is world famous for its frescoes by Michelangelo and other artists, and for its striking resemblance to the Temple of Solomon from the Old Testament.
The Sistine Chapel is located in the Vatican Museums, which have 54 galleries or halls. The Sistine Chapel is the last of them.
The building looks like a castle from the outside, but inside there are Renaissance masterpieces by Botticelli, Pinturicchio, Perugino Rosselli and others.
In 1481–1483, artists invited from Florence — Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Rosselli, Perugino — and their assistants painted the side walls of the Sistine Chapel. There were 16 frescoes in total, 12 of which have survived. Six are related to Jesus Christ, six to the life of Moses.
In 1508, Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling. The artist devoted four years to this task. He did most of the work himself, as he did not trust assistants. This work is recognized as one of the greatest masterpieces of Renaissance art. The nine central frescoes depict scenes from the Book of Genesis: The Creation of Adam, The Flood, The Separation of Light from Darkness, The Creation of Eve, and others.
In 1536-1541, Michelangelo painted the altar wall on the order of Pope Paul III. The fresco is called "The Last Judgment".
The composition is divided into three parts: at the top are flying angels, in the center are Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and the blessed, and at the bottom are the angels of the apocalypse, announcing the approach of the end of the world, the saints who ascend to heaven, and the sinners who are dragged to hell by demons. There are about 400 figures in the fresco.
It is believed that "The Last Judgment" is a work that completed the Renaissance era in the history of art. At the time, the work was harshly criticized. Michelangelo was accused of heresy and immorality for painting nudes. In response to the accusation, the artist portrayed one of his main accusers as King Minos in Hell.
The Sistine Chapel has a male choir (it also includes a boys choir). It is known as the Papal Chapel or simply the "Sistine Chapel" and is one of the most important professional choirs in the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1471 by Pope Sixtus IV. It currently consists of 20 men (tenor and bass) and 20 boys (soprano and alto).
The address of the Sistine Chapel is: Viale Vaticano Rome 00136.
To help you navigate, here is a map of the Vatican:
The Vatican Museum, where the Sistine Chapel is located, is open Monday through Saturday from 09:00 to 18:00.
The museum is closed on Sundays, except for the last Sunday of each month, when it is open from 09:00 to 14:00, admission is free for everyone. The museum is closed during religious holidays. These days: January 1st and 6th, March 19th, April 2nd, May 1st, June 29th, August 14th and 15th, November 1st, December 8th, 25th, 26th.
Ticket prices:
- standard ticket for entry to the Vatican Museum - 17 euros;
- same ticket with online booking without entry - 21 euros;
- discounted ticket (for children aged 6-17, students under 25, clergy and seminarians) - 8 euros;
- same ticket for free entry with online booking - 12 euros;
How getting there:
- by metro, line A - stop Ottaviano or Cipro;
- by bus №32, 81, 982 - stop Piazza del Risorgimento; №492, 990 - stop Via Leone IV/Via degli Scipioni; №116 - stop at the square in front of the Vatican Museum.
- by tram №19 - stop Piazza del Risorgimento.
The Sistine Chapel is located to the right of St. Peter's Basilica, but you can only get there from the main entrance to the Vatican Museum along Viale Vaticano:
Official website of the Sistine Chapel: www.museivaticani.va.
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