This iconic destination in Vatican City, Italy, is home to the famous Sistine Chapel, a masterpiece of Renaissance art. The chapel was painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512 and features a stunning ceiling fresco depicting scenes from the Book of Genesis. The chapel is also home to
The Sistine Chapel is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the pope's official residence in Vatican City. Originally known as the Cappella Magna, it takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who had it built between 1473 and 1481. Since that time, it has served as a place of both religious and functionary papal activity. Today, it is the site of the papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is selected. The chapel's fame lies mainly in the frescoes that decorate its interior, most particularly the Sistine Chapel ceiling and The Last Judgment, both by Michelangelo.