Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Skip the Line Ticket
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Sistine Chapel
Sistine Chapel, a Renaissance Masterpiece
The most renowned part of the chapel is its ceiling that contains frescoes by Michelangelo. It is divided into nine parts which depict the nine episodes from the book of Genesis including the creation of the world, expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden and the story of Noah. The sides of the panels and lunettes are filled with images of prophets and sibyls.
Michelangelo was again provided the task of redecorating the altar of the Chapel with the scenes of the Last Judgement. The fresco depicts hell as was described by Dante in his work Divine Comedy. In the composition, Christ stands in the center surrounded by nude figures waiting for their judgement including apostles and saints. The blessed souls stand to the left of the Christ while the damned stand to his right. At the bottom are paintings of Biagio de Cesena, the papal master of ceremonies and St Bartholomew. The flayed body of St. Bartholomew has the face of Michelangelo himself.
It is the wall to the right of the altar depicting scenes from the life of Christ: Baptism, Temptation of Jesus, The calling of first Disciples, Sermon on the Mount, handing of the keys to Saint Peter and the Last Supper painted by various artists.
It is the wall to the west of the chapel and shows scenes from the life of Moses painted by famous artists of the 15th Century.
How to Get Tickets?
Sistine Chapel is a part of the Vatican Museum and lies at the end of the Museum, thus, to visit the chapel you will have to go through the museum. There is an entry ticket to the museum which includes a visit to Sistine Chapel too. You can buy it at the entrance of the museum but of course, there are long queues where you will have to wait. If you wish to skip the line then buy the tickets online. The Museums are free to access on the last Sunday of every month but are too crowded.
How To Get Around?
Sistine Chapel is at the end of the Vatican Museums. A walk to the chapel would take around 30 minutes if you do not stop to admire anything else on the way. The chapel is crammed up no matter what part of the day. There would be small queues for entry to the chapel. The routes are well labeled hence there would be no problem in exploring the place. If you love art, then the chapel interiors will completely amaze you. Sit and gaze at the beauty of the work of the great Renaissance artists or if you wish you can take guided tours or audio guides.
What Should I Wear?
Strict dress code is enforced in Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. You should dress respectfully for the chapel. As per the rules, you cannot enter the chapel premises (even Vatican Museums) with bare knees and shoulders. One should wear long trousers or long skirts with long-sleeved t-shirts. Low-cut tops, mini-skirts, and shorts are not permitted. You cannot wear a hat inside the chapel.
Best Time to Visit
You can visit Sistine Chapel between 9 in the morning to 6 in the evening from Monday to Saturday (with last entry at 4 pm). It is closed on Sundays except for the last Sunday of every month when its open for public from 9 am to 2 pm (with last entry at 12:45 pm). It is closed on religious holidays.
Currency
Euro
Will I Need a Guide?
There are guided tours available that can aid you in exploring the chapel and providing interesting information. If you are not in a mood to rush and wish to enjoy exploring the beautiful artwork at your own pace, then it would be best to visit the place without any guide. You can hire audiobooks that will provide you with interesting facts about the place.
How To Get There?
The best option to reach Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel is via subway. Ottaviano and Cipro stations are the two nearest stations to the museums on line A. You can also take a tram or private taxi that will drop you near the museum. Also, there are numerous buses that have a stop near the museum. Bus no.49 will drop you at the square in front of the Vatican Museums.
Additional Info
Carry fewer belongings as you will have to go through security check and additional baggage will be submitted in the cloakroom. Photography and videography are strictly prohibited inside the chapel.