Sistine Chapel, the Pope’s Residence

Being a great fan of the book Angels & Demons by Dan Brown, I always wanted to visit one of the architectural pinnacles of the world, The Sistine Chapel. It is situated in the centre of the Vatican city, surrounded by Rome on all sides. The Sistine Chapel serves as the residence of the Pope. One of the most sought after places in the world for tourism purposes is not only its cultural richness but also for the artworks found on all directions of the Chapel.

The 5 Facts about Sistine Chapel

1. The Sistine Chapel is also called the Originally known as the Cappella Magna (‘Great Chapel’).
2. The Sistine Chapel is famous for the Frescos ( a technique of mural painting on a wet lime plaster) that decorate the interior
3. Out of all the Mural Paintings, the most famous one was ‘The Last Judgement” by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the chapel.
4. The Sistine Chapel was built by the Architects Baccio Pontelli and Giovanni de Dolci.
5. This is one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the height of this chapel is 68 ft.

The Direction Guide

The place is situated in the middle of Vatican City surrounded by Rome. This place is one of the most crowded places in which can see a maximum footfall of 2000 people at the same time. It is rather been mentioned as the greatest treasure of Rome. The only way that you will be able to capture the place is in your head as photography is strictly prohibited. The Chapel is a 10-minute drive from the centre of Rome, and 15 minutes drive from the Colosseum.

You can reach the Sistine Chapel from Rome through the following means-

Public Bus – City Centre (Piazza Venezia) to Sistine Chapel – 1-2 euros
Bus line 190F, 46, 64, 916, 916F

Drive – 10 mins from the City Centre to Sistine Chapel

Taxi/Uber – 10 mins from the City Centre to Sistine Chapel – 35-40 euros

Timings And Tickets Info

TIME:

The Sistine Chapel as a practice is closed for Sundays, except for the last Sunday ( If it does not coincide with the Chapel listed Holidays). Otherwise, the Sistine Chapel is open for 6 days a week.

From Monday to Saturday
09.00 a.m. – 06.00 p.m. (final entry 04.00 p.m.)

Every last Sunday of the month
(provided this does not coincide with the Holidays of the Chapel)
09.00 a.m. – 02.00 p.m. (final entry 12.30 p.m.)

The best time to visit the Vatican is between May and October (except August). the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel can be prebooked.

Listed Holidays of Rome:

• Easter Sunday
• 29 June Sts. Peter and Paul
• 25 December Christmas Day
• 26 December Feast of St. Stephen

Tickets

• The tickets at the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel are around 14-16 euros which are Approximately 1200-1400 INR.
• The Entrance to the Sistine Chapel on the last Sunday of every month will be free of cost. The best time to visit will be between 8 AM – 10 PM.

Dress Code

As the Sistine Chapel more than a tourist attraction, it is highly noted for its religious beliefs and is considered the house of God. So, the correct dress code is:

• Have arms, shoulders and legs covered for both men and women
• Strictly no sleeveless tops and blouses
• No miniskirts or dresses
• No shorts for men
• No hats

So I guess you have pretty much decoded why the Sistine Chapel is referred to as “The greatest treasure of Rome”. This should definitely be on your checklist whenever you will be travelling to Europe. All the major attractions can be fitted into a 4 day ideal trip to Italy with Pickyourtrail. Get ready to fill in your bucket list with the activity.