Together with the Colosseum the Sistine Chapel is probably the most famous tourist attraction in Rome. It is located in the Pope’s Residence in the Eternal City, the Apostolic Palace, but tourists can only view it by buying a ticket for the Vatican Museums.
The Sistine Chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who had the Cappella Magna restored (and named after himself).
The Sistine Chapel contains some of the world’s most famous frescoes, including the entire ceiling which was done by Michelangelo (and commissioned by Pope Julius II) in the early 16th century. The surface of the world’s most beautiful ceiling is 1,100 m2.
Other frescoes were created by Renaissance artists like Botticelli, Pinturicchio and Pietro Perugino.
Apart from getting a lot of money for the Catholic Church, the Sistine Chapel serves as the site of the Papal Conclave, the election of a new Pope.
It is strictly forbidden to take pictures in side the Sistine Chapel. It is also strictly forbidden to make noise inside the Sistine Chapel.
Sistine Chapel Practical Information
| Address | Viale Vaticano 100 - 00165 Rome, italy |
| District | Vatican City |
| Hotels nearby | Hotels near Sistine Chapel in Rome |
| Telephone | 0039 0669884947/0669884676 |
| Opening Hours | 9 AM - 6 PM (last entrance 4 PM); Last sunday of the month 9 AM - 2 PM (last entrance 12.30 PM) |
| Closed | The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel are Closed on Sundays (except the last Sunday of the month), January 1-6, February 11, March 19, Easter, May 1, June 29, August 15, November 1, December 8, 25, 26 dicembre |
| Admission | 15 Euros (free on the last sunday of the month); The Sistine Chapel is included in the OMNIA Vatican & Rome Card. |
| Public transport | Metro: Ottaviano, Cipro (line A); Bus: 40E, 62, 64. |
| Special Holidays/Events | The Sistine Chapel is closed when a new Pope has to be elected. |
| Note | Lines tend to be long, therefore it is recommended to book in advance throught the official website of the Vatican. |
Directions to the Sistine Chapel
Take metro line A to Ottaviano. Take the first exit on the right. Follow everybody else down the Via Ottaviano and turn right when you come to the Vatican City Walls.