Vatican Tour: Museums & Sistine Chapel in Italy, Rome

Vatican Museums. The Vatican museums display works from the great collection built by the Catholic Church and the papacy throughout the centuries. The Vatican museums are among the most visited and largest museums in the world and the most ancient ever established. In the early 16th century in fact, Pope Julius II founded the museums. Since then, thousands of artworks have been gathered.

Sistine Chapel. Get ready to admire the breath-taking Sistine Chapel, decorated with some of the most beautiful frescoes ever made. The Sistine chapel is part of the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope. Although the Chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, the amazing frescoes date back to the patronage of Pope Julius II, at the beginning of the 1500’. It was then when the pope commissioned Michelangelo painting the chapel's ceiling, a project that changed the course of Western art and is regarded as one of the major artistic accomplishments of human civilization. Even more famous is the Last Judgment, from Michelangelo as well. A special place requires special rules: As this is a holy place, there is a dress code policy to comply with. Knees, shoulders and backs must be covered. Pictures cannot be taken at any time. The tour guide cannot give share information concerning the chapel once already in. For this reason the explanation takes place before and after visiting the chapel.

Galleries of the Vatican