The Sistine Chapel is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the pope, in Vatican City. Originally known as the Cappella Magna, the chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who built it between 1473 and 1481. Since that time, the chapel has served as a place of both religious and functionary papal activity. Today, it is the site of the papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is selected. The fame of the Sistine Chapel lies mainly in the frescos that decorate the interior, most particularly the Sistine Chapel ceiling and The Last Judgment, both by Michelangelo. During the reign of Sixtus IV, a team of Renaissance painters that included Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Cosimo Rosselli, created a series of frescos depicting the Life of Moses and the Life of Christ, offset by papal portraits above and trompe-l'œil drapery below.
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| District | Diocese of Rome |
| Year consecrated | 15 August 1483 |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Papal oratory |
| Leadership | Francis |
| Architect(s) | Baccio Pontelli, Giovanni de Dolci |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Groundbreaking | 1505 |
| Completed | 1508 |
| Length | 40.9 m (134.19 ft) |
| Width (nave) | 13.4 m (43.96 ft) |
| Height (max) | 20.7 m (67.91 ft) |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, ii, iv, vi |
| Designated | 1984 |
| Reference no. | 286 |
| State Party | Holy See |
| Region | Europe and North America |
About Sistine Chapel
Located within the official residence of the pope in Vatican City, the chapel is known for its stunning fresco paintings. The most notable works of art belong to the great Michelangelo, who painted the ceiling of the chapel as well as the altar wall piece "The Last Judgment."
Achievement of Sistine Chapel
A number of prominent Renaissance artists painted frescos in the chapel, including Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino and Domenico Ghirlandaio. The chapel was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
Top Facts You Did Not Know About Sistine Chapel
Sistine Chapel Category.. Art patronage of Julius II - Pope Julius II, commissioned a series of highly influential art and architecture projects in the Vatican. The painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo and of various rooms by Raphael in the Apostolic Palace are considered among the masterworks that mark the High Renaissance in Rome.. Italian Renaissance painting - Italian Renaissance painting is the painting of the period beginning in the late 13th century and flourishing from the early 15th to late 16th centuries, occurring in the Italian peninsula, which was at that time divided into many political states, some independent but others controlled by.... Index of Vatican City-related articles - This is an index of Vatican City–related topics.. Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore - The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, or church of Santa Maria Maggiore, is a Papal major basilica and the largest Catholic Marian church in Rome, Italy, from which size it receives the appellation"major".. The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965 film).. Sites of papal elections.. Individual rooms.
Latest information about Sistine Chapel updated on July 28 2021.
