Zoom on Chapelle Sixtine in Rome

Origin

It was Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere (pope from 1471 to 1484) who gave the name to the Sistine Chapel. Indeed, it was during his pontificate that the Sistine Chapel was built (between 1477 and 1483).

The decoration dates back to the 15th century and includes trompe l'oeil dyeings, the Stories of Moses or Christ and the portraits of the popes. Its realization was entrusted to a team of great painters such as Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio or Cosimo Rosselli.

Michelangelo's fresco

Almost half a century later, towards the end of 1533, Clement VII de' Medici (pope from 1523 to 1534) asked Michelangelo to change the decoration of the Chapel by painting the Last Judgment on the wall. from the altar. On this fresco, Michelangelo wanted to represent the glorious return of Christ by drawing inspiration from the texts of the New Testament. The artist began this grandiose work in 1536 under the pontificate of Paul III, he completed it in the fall of 1541. Influenced by the fresco by Melozzo da Forli Ascensione di Cristo, Michelangelo, his real name, uses his artistic talent to translate the invisible forms of the beauty and majesty of God.

A place not to be missed in Rome

Today, the Sistine Chapel is a must-see place, not to be missed in Rome. It is also one of the most visited monuments in Italy with no less than 10,000 tourists per day. If you want to visit it, it is strongly recommended to book your tickets before on the official website.

Go on our Museum TV streaming platform to (re)discover a documentary dedicated to the Sistine Chapel.