Peek inside the stunning Sistine Chapel, where popes are elected
The Catholic Church is gathering to elect a new pontiff after the death of Pope Francis last month. The process, known as a conclave, takes place in the beautiful Sistine Chapel.
The Sistine Chapel lies inside Vatican City, the smallest country in the world, which is entirely surrounded by the city of Rome in Italy. Vatican City is the home of the pope and the Catholic Church.
The Sistine Chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV. In the late 15th century, Sixtus ordered the reconstruction of an existing chapel. A few years later, in 1492, the chapel hosted its first papal conclave. Since 1878, every conclave has taken place in the church.
The decoration of the Sistine Chapel took place at the height of the Renaissance when some of the most famous artists were living in Italy. The Vatican enlisted several, including the famous Michelangelo, to paint the building.
Today, the building is a popular tourist attraction. While the papal conclave continues, the Sistine is off-limits to travellers. However, as many as 6 million people visit the site each year. Here's what they come to see:
None other than Italian painter Michelangelo decorated the Sistine Chapel's ceiling. His masterpieces cover over 450 square metres and depict nine stories from the Book of Genesis. The most famous scene is The Creation of Adam : the image of God touching Adam's fingertips is one of the most iconic in the world.
Painted by Michelangelo between 1536 and 1541, this dramatic fresco shows the Second Coming of Christ and the final judgement of souls.
Just beneath The Last Judgement is the papal throne. The simple marble seat is where the pope traditionally sits, symbolising his authority over the Church.
Across the side walls of the Sistine Chapel are more spectacular paintings. These frescoes were done by early Renaissance artists like Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli and Domenico Ghirlandaio. The panels depict stories from both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
Michelangelo's paintings may catch the eye, but it's the ceiling design itself that draws the gaze upwards. The vaulted ceiling adds depth and harmony, and showcases a mastery of perspective that's typical of the Renaissance.
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