In my top five list of things to see in Rome, the Sistine Chapel pulls in at number two. I had read about it in school when I was younger, and it quickly became something I knew I just had to see in my lifetime. I was so excited!
Upon arriving the first thing I noticed were huge lines. I am glad it was included in our tour price, as we were able to go to the front of the line. The building itself looked pretty bland on the outside. It was built of simple brick, and rectangular, without any sort of decorations or monuments on the outside. This was normal with architecture constructed in the Medieval Ages. The chapel was built between 1477 and 1480, and was originally called the Papal Chapel. It was renamed after Pope Sixtus IV, whom had the church built.
When I walked into the Sistine Chapel, the brilliance and vividness of color was almost overwhelming. When I got over the initial shock of it, my jaw nearly hit the floor. Seventy feet up on the ceiling were the famous frescoes by Michelangelo that I had always dreamed of seeing. On the sanctuary wall was “The Last Judgment” painting, also by Michelangelo, then the surrounding wall paintings by Perugino, Botticelli, and Ghirlandaio, and lastly, the set of tapestries done by Raphael.
The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was painted between 1508 and 1512, and commissioned by Pope Julius II. The paintings are of nine scenes out of the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. The scenes chosen were three covering the creation of Earth, The Creation of Adam, The Creation of Eve, how Adam and Eve were sent from Eden, The Sacrifice of Noah, The Great Flood, and The Drunkenness of Noah. My personal favorites are those of Adam and Eve. The detail that Michelangelo put into these works is unbelievable. You could sit on a bench inside and look around for hours, and still not take everything in. I recommend that, if you visit the chapel, you bring along a small pair of binoculars to give yourself a closer look at the intricate details of each painting.
The ceiling has gone through several restorations since the 16th century. The most recent restorations began in 1980. Each restoration was done in stages and sections, and unveiled as they were finished. First, the lunettes were restored, then the ceiling, and lastly the wall paintings. Restoration was finished around 1999.
However, the Vatican is not all gold, pomp and stateliness – according to our tour guide, it has a history full of dark tales of deceit and even lust! The tour guide really made it all come to life. In a half day you can see the Vatican Museum and St. Peter’s Basilica.
Written by: M Wheeler
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