Following the death of Pope Francis, the College of Cardinals will convene next month to elect his successor in a centuries-old ritual held in one of the world’s most iconic religious and artistic landmarks: the Sistine Chapel.
The chapel, located within Vatican City, has served as the setting for papal conclaves since 1484 and is steeped in history, art, and controversy.
Named after Pope Sixtus IV, it was constructed between 1473 and 1481 and measures 40 metres in length, 13 metres in width, and 21 metres in height, illuminated by a series of high windows.
Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes, commissioned by Pope Julius II and painted between 1508 and 1512, depict scenes from the Old and New Testaments. Among them is the iconic Creation of Adam, in which God extends a finger to bring life to the first man.
More than two decades later, Michelangelo returned to paint The Last Judgement behind the altar, which was unveiled in 1541.
At the time, the fresco drew fierce criticism for its depiction of nude figures, prompting the later addition of painted "modesty breeches" to cover genitalia. These were added posthumously by an apprentice after a church edict demanded more modesty in religious art.
The side walls of the chapel also feature works by renowned Renaissance artists including Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, and Domenico Ghirlandaio. Between 1980 and 1994, the chapel underwent an extensive and controversial restoration, revealing the original vivid colours of the frescoes, which some experts criticised as excessively bright.
Despite the controversy, the Sistine Chapel remains one of the most visited sites in the world. In 2023, it attracted 6.8 million visitors as part of the Vatican Museums, making it the second most visited museum globally after the Louvre, according to Statista.
The chapel's grandeur has inspired generations. German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe famously said, “Without having seen the Sistine Chapel, one can form no appreciable idea of what one man is capable of achieving.”
As the Church prepares to elect a new spiritual leader, the eyes of the world will once again turn to this historic chapel where faith, art, and power converge.