Chapel Italy. Sistine Chapel in the Vatican: description, history, architectural features. History of the Sistine Chapel

Perhaps this is the case when the external appearance does not correspond to the internal content at all. The contrast between "packaging" and content is too great. In my opinion, in all of Rome, and what is there in Rome, in all of Italy, you will not find such dissonance, such a violation of harmony, such an incompatible combination ... External restraint, I would even say, ugliness, coupled with an internal truly priceless splendor.

I think that by the title of my article you have already guessed what I am talking about. That's right, about the Sistine Chapel, which for me personally is an expression of the thought of connecting the human soul and body. The personification of how rich and saturated the inner world of a person can be, with all its external simplicity and inconspicuousness.

So chapel. 21 years after its consecration, there was a need to strengthen this structure, and since then it has undergone many changes. Supports were erected to further strengthen the walls, various superstructures were created, and frescoes were restored. Still, not a single building can stand untouched for 5 centuries. Even a fortress.

Let's stand at the chapel for a while and take a closer look at its external appearance.

Appearance

As I said above, the Sistine Chapel was conceived as a defensive structure, but also served as a house church for the popes.

The building has a rectangular shape and exactly repeats the dimensions of Solomon's Temple - 40.9 meters long and 13.4 meters wide. That's what it says in the Old Testament.

The fortress cannot have any special frills, unlike the palace, so everything is concise, strict and ascetic. By the way, take a closer look. Does the shape of the chapel remind you of anything? Personally, I have associations with the box of the Victorian era. Strict classics, "chopped" design, nothing more.

The papal house church has 3 floors.

The first floor is very solid and solid, with thick and high walls, typical for the defensive structures of those times.

On the second floor, we see lancet windows, due to the size of which there is always enough air and light inside the chapel.

The third floor was a guardroom, so instead of windows there are many loopholes that served as holes for firing at a target. Once this room did not have a roof, the gallery was open, but over time it was decided to build a protective coating so that natural phenomena would not spoil the priceless murals.

The famous murals of the Sistine Chapel... this is her soul. The same spiritually rich inner world that I spoke about at the very beginning. A trace of the three giants of the Renaissance - Raphael, Botticelli and Michelangelo. An invaluable gift left to us as a legacy. A living legend, a miracle so carefully preserved for five centuries that today we would say: "Yes, miracles are where they believe in them, and the more they believe, the more often they happen."

Interior decoration

As I have already said, the miracle of the chapel lies in three great names. In three unique artists, each of whom contributed to the painting of this church. Some to a greater extent, some to a lesser extent, but these three giants played their special role in making the phrase "Sistine Chapel" become the most famous phrase in the world.

But, gentlemen, we understand that all this would never have happened if Pope Sixtus had not reconciled with Lorenzo de' Medici. After all, all three of the above-mentioned masters were representatives of the Florentine school of painting. And, of course, none of them would have crossed the threshold of the chapel if the Pope had not pacified his pride.

And now let me tell you about the participation in this grandiose project of each of the three geniuses.

Let's start with Botticelli.

Frescoes by Sandro Botticelli

I think many of you know the painting "The Birth of Venus".

So this masterpiece is the creation of the hands of an outstanding Renaissance artist, an Italian - Sandro Botticelli, whose real name was Sandro Filipeli.

Botticelli (or "keg" in Italian) is a nickname he inherited from his older fat brother.

Sandro very quickly gained fame as a talented portrait painter and became known not only in Florence, but also abroad. Pope Sixtus IV, impressed by his work, ordered to put the artist at the head of the project for painting the Sistine Chapel, which by that time had already been completed.

And in 1481, a group of craftsmen led by Botticelli arrived in Rome. The company was small, only 3 artists: Domenico Ghirlandaio, Cosimo Rosselli, and "Keg" himself. Plus a few of their assistants.

Another, fourth and last "person involved" in this case, Pietro Perugino from Umbria, arrived earlier and has already begun work in the chapel.

At that time, Perugino was one of the most famous masters and one of the best artists in Italy. By the way, his most famous student was Rafael.

But back to our topic.

The task was as follows - to paint the walls of the papal church with frescoes, drawing a parallel between the stories of Moses and Jesus Christ, as the relationship between the Old and New Testaments. Artists zealously set to work. The work lasted a year, and as a result, 16 paintings were created, 4 of which have not survived to this day for certain reasons.

And now we will take a closer look at these wall paintings included in the World Heritage List and located on the second tier. Perhaps they fade somewhat against the backdrop of Michelangelo's grandiose ceiling and his Last Judgment scene, but believe me, without these unique images, the chapel would not have been such a holistic and stunning spectacle.

I will tell you about the northern and southern walls, which, when entering the papal church, will be located on your left and right, respectively.

Second tier

• north side - given under the cycle of the history of the Savior and includes 6 frescoes, including one fresco by Botticelli, on which I will dwell in more detail. Let's look at each of them, starting from the altar and moving towards the exit.

Baptism of Christ (Perugino)

The temptation of Christ and the cleansing of the leper (Botticelli)

The fresco depicts three episodes from the Gospel.

• The first (top left) - the devil, disguised as a hermit, persuades Jesus to turn stones into bread and satisfy his hunger.
• The second (top center) is the devil, disguised as the same hermit, trying to get Jesus to throw himself down from the top of the temple to test God's promise of angelic protection.
• Third (upper right) - the devil on top of the mountain promises Jesus wealth and power if he rejects God and worships him, Satan. Jesus drives the devil away, and then he appears in his true form.
• In the foreground we see a young man healed of leprosy, who comes to the high priest of the Temple in order to reveal this miracle and tell about his purification. The young man holds a sacrificial cup in his hands. Two women offer other ritual objects - sacrificial birds and a bundle of cedar wood. The priest symbolizes Moses, the young man - Jesus, who shed his blood to atone for human sins and healed through the resurrection.

The call of the first apostles (Ghirlandaio)

Sermon on the Mount (Rosselli)

Handing the Keys to the Apostle Peter (Perugino)

The Last Supper (Rosselli)

The cycle ended with the fresco "Resurrection" by Ghirlandaio on the wall above the exit. But the fact is that in 1522 a beam, the so-called architrave, collapsed, and this fresco was destroyed. I had to redraw. The then-reigning Pope Gregory XIII made an order for painting on the same topic to other, little-known artists.

• South wall - the story of the prophet Moses, also consisting of 6 frescoes. Let me show them to you. Direction, as in the case of the northern wall, from the altar to the exit.

Travel of Moses to Egypt (Perugino)

Calling and Trials of Moses (Botticelli)

Here are several episodes from the life of Moses.

• On the right, the prophet kills the Egyptian overseer, who mocked the Jews, and leaves for the desert.
• In the center of the picture, Moses helps the priest's daughters to go to the well, he drives away the shepherds who did not let the girls in.
• In the upper left corner, the prophet takes off his shoes and hears the voice of God commanding him to return to Egypt and free his people
• In the lower left corner is a scene of Moses leading the Jews to the Promised Land.

Crossing the Red Sea (Rosselli)

Moses Receiving the Tablets of the Covenant (Rosselli)

Punishment of the rebels (Botticelli)

The main theme of the picture is the revolt of the Levites against the rule of Moses and his brother-companion Aaron.

• On the right are Moses, the rebels and Joshua (not to be confused with Jesus Christ!), blocking their path.
• In the center we see the prophet in the papal tiara, who drives out the conspirators.
• On the left, the earth swallows up the leaders of the conspiracy

In my opinion, it is remarkable that this fresco is located opposite the episode "Handing the Keys to Saint Peter", which was conceived as a symbol of the legitimacy of papal authority. Thus, the "Punishment of the Rebels" is a kind of message and even a warning to the perfidious who planned to encroach on the power of the Holy See.

The death and testament of Moses (Luca Signorelli - one of the assistants to the main masters)

The cycle ended with the fresco "The Dispute over the Body of Moses" by Signorelli on the wall above the exit. But as I already said, in 1522 there was an unpleasant incident with the collapse of the architrave and, along with the fresco of Ghirlandaio "Resurrection", this scene from the life of Moses was also destroyed. Subsequently, she was also reanimated by other, little-known artists, commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII.

Well, gentlemen, we have studied the second tier of the Sistine Chapel and now, if you are lucky and you get into this treasury of world art, you will not even need an audio guide, you yourself will be able to tell anyone what is depicted on the northern and southern parts papal church.

Third tier

But your story will be incomplete if we do not take a closer look at the third tier, the one with arched windows. Look higher, do you see male images in the openings between the windows?

These are portraits of the first pontiffs, and they are made by the same masters that I just told you about - Botticelli & Co.

Here is an example of a portrait of Pope Sixtus II by Botticelli.

There are 12 images on each side, 4 more are on the wall above the entrance along with the two frescoes I mentioned earlier. Here's what it looks like:

The remaining 4 portraits of popes were buried under the fresco " Last Judgment"But I'm sure the world does not mourn over this. These sacrifices were justified by the priceless masterpiece that Michelangelo left us as a legacy.

Ceiling and Last Judgment by Michelangelo

It all started with construction excavations that took place in 1504 near the Sistine Chapel. As a result of these actions, the ceiling of the papal house church was badly damaged and covered with cracks. Reconstruction began, which led to the fact that there was a need to update the ceiling painting (at that time it was sparkling stars in the night sky). However, the reigning Pope Julius II had a different idea.

More scale. In a big way, so to speak. He decided to paint the vault in a new way and in the most majestic style.

The Vatican is the richest country in the world in terms of the number of monuments. And one of the most famous museums of the Holy See is a small chapel, known for centuries as the "Sistine Chapel".

If you count the number of museums and architectural monuments per square kilometer of area, then the Vatican will undoubtedly turn out to be the richest power in the world. And one of the most famous museums of the Holy See is a small chapel, known for centuries as the "Sistine Chapel". It is famous for two reasons: firstly, the bishops hold secret meetings in this chapel, and, secondly, it is the walls here that are the repository of the most famous creation of Michelangelo.

Virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel

You can take a virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel using an interactive 3D tour on the Vatican website at the link - www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/index.html

History pages

Back in the Middle Ages, next to the constantly rebuilt building, there was a building in which the court of the pontiff regularly gathered. He numbered not many, not few - 200 cardinals, who came from noble families representing various religious orders. It contained the papal court Cappella Maggiore or the Great Chapel. It was in its place at the end of the 15th century that the outwardly unremarkable Sistine Chapel appeared.

Perhaps if Pope Sixtus IV had not thought about the threat to his life, undoubtedly valuable to the power, we would never have seen the masterpiece of Michelangelo Buonarotti. But the relationship of the pontiff with the Florentine Medici and the Ottoman Mohammed the Conqueror could hardly be called friendly. So it was decided to strengthen the structure. The project was developed by Baccio Pontelli, but the work itself was directed by de Dolci. The erected chapel was named in honor of Sixtus IV.

From an architectural point of view, the Sistine Chapel is an outwardly unsightly building. Well, how often have you seen bas-reliefs and sculptures on the walls of fortifications? Now a museum has been made from the chapel, and in the 15th century its walls were supposed to protect the popes of Rome ... The three-level building built with its dimensions completely corresponded to the Old Testament Temple of Solomon: length - 40.94 m, width - 13.41 m, height - 20.7. The first floor was conceived as the support of the entire structure, and therefore became the most powerful. The main one was the second tier. There are 6 windows on the long side walls, and 2 of them above the entrance. The third floor was intended for patrol: there is a guardhouse, and around the whole building there is a walk-through gallery. Initially, it was open, but water constantly got into the chapel. Therefore, over time, a roof was erected over the gallery. The consecration of the chapel and the first service took place on August 14, 1483, on the day of the celebration of the Ascension of Our Lady.

Two years after the Pazzi conspiracy in 1481, Sixtus IV became close to Lorenzo de' Medici, and a group of the best painters from Florence was sent to Rome to paint the chapel. From 1481 to 1483, representatives of the Umbrian and Florentine schools of painting adorned the walls of the Sistine Chapel. The chapel has preserved to this day the unique creations of Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Perugino, Rosselli, Pinturicchio, Signorelli and Bartolomeo della Gatta. The frescoes of the Sistine Chapel contain a large number of portrait images: only in the surviving 12 paintings (out of 16 painted) there are about a hundred portraits.

Two cycles encircle the walls of the chapel at once. First (right side) "History of Christ" includes the following stories:

• The Baptism of Jesus is the work of Perugino.
• The calling of the apostles is the work of Ghirlandaio.
• Temptation of Christ (Botticelli).
• The Sermon on the Mount and the Last Supper by Rosseli.
• Handing the keys to the Apostle Peter - fresco by Perugino.

Second cycle (left side) "The Story of Moses" displays the following events:

• The Massacre of the Innocents in Egypt and the calling of Moses is the work of Botticelli.
• Circumcision of the son of Moses (Perugino).
• Crossing the Red Sea, Giving commandments by Rosseli.
• Indignation against the laws of Moses (Botticelli).
• The death and testament of Moses is the work of Signorelli.

The arch of the chapel under Sixtus IV was decorated with frescoes by Pier Matteo di Amelia, it was a sky dotted with stars. True, already in 1504, the Sistine Chapel, designed to protect, threatened to collapse right on the head of the pontiff and the cardinals. Bramante reinforced the south wall of the chapel, thereby saving the entire building from collapse. But the crack in the ceiling was roughly patched up with bricks and mortar. The external brilliance was lost, and Pope Julius II desired that the vault be painted again. Michelangelo Buonarroti took over the re-painting of the ceiling.

Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel

The history of the masterpiece frescoes on the vault of the Sistine Chapel, oddly enough, begins with the arrangement of the tomb of Julius II della Rovera. Back in 1505, the pontiff called Michelangelo to discuss with him the design of his own tomb. It was supposed to be a real temple with a tomb. But the spring of 1506 postponed the project for an indefinite period. Julius II refused to pay for the marble commissioned by Michelangelo for his statues. After a major quarrel with the pontiff, the artist left Rome. The pope's repeated appeals nevertheless returned the artist to the capital, but the continuation of work on the tomb was not even discussed.

Moreover, the pontiff and the sculptor had a new common cause - the Sistine Chapel. Here, it should be noted, it was not without the help of "well-wishers". Bramante, not averse to doing the tomb of Julius II himself, was very afraid that Michelangelo's project would surpass his own. At first, Bramante convinced the pontiff that the arrangement of the tomb was a bad sign that could speed up the departure to another world. And then he offered to entrust Buonarroti with painting the vault of the chapel. For many years, historians have argued that in this way Bramante tried to permanently discredit the artist, who had not previously painted. But a letter from Rosselli to Michelangelo dated May 10, 1506, testifies to the contrary: it was the pope who came up with the idea to offer a job to the Florentine, and Bramante argued that he could not cope.

Be that as it may, Michelangelo, who had not previously been involved in fresco, accepted the proposal to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel without much resistance. In 1487-1488, the artist had the opportunity to get acquainted with the technique of working on a fresco in the workshop of Ghirlandaio, who at that time worked on the chapel of the church of Santa Maria Novella. Michelangelo even competed with Leonardo da Vinci: both artists received an offer to paint a hall in the Florentine Senoria Palace. For the fresco "The Battle of Kashin" Michelangelo made cardboard, which for decades served as a guide for other painters. But Michelangelo never started painting the hall of the Great Council, continuing to create sculptures.

Most likely, Michelangelo accepted the commission of the pontiff as a challenge, wanting to prove his mastery not only in the field of sculpture. In the region of March - April 1508, an agreement was concluded between the pontiff and the artist, and already on May 10, Buonarroti received a deposit. During the first month, the master prepared cardboards and drawings, equipped the scaffolding, and Rosseli processed the surface for painting. It is safe to say that on June 10, 1508, work was already underway in the chapel, as the pope's master of ceremonies, Paris de Grassi, noted the fall of the plastering mortar during the liturgy.

Since the pontiff was not going to cancel services in the Sistine Chapel during the painting of the vault, Michelangelo needed to equip scaffolding that would not interfere with the work of serving the Lord. First, Bramante took up the design of the scaffolding. He suggested hanging the flooring on a cable from the ceiling. But in this case, holes would appear in the vault, which would hardly have been repaired at the end of the painting. Michelangelo had to equip "flying scaffolding", the fastenings of which were installed in holes above the windows. Such a flooring allowed the artist to work immediately across the entire width of the ceiling surface. Such a design did not interfere with the conduct of the service in the chapel and saved wood, since it did not need supports from below. In addition, a screen was stretched just below the scaffolding to prevent paint and mortar from falling down. To this day, at the base of the lunettes, there are unpainted areas in the places where scaffolding is attached. The same holes were used during the restoration work of 1980-1994.

There is an opinion that Michelangelo painted the vault of the Sistine Chapel while lying on his back. In reality, the artist worked standing up with his head thrown back. Four years spent under the ceiling led to the fact that Michelangelo could read for a long time only holding the text above his head. The uneven light of lamps and candles also did not improve the creator’s health, and he also “acquired” arthritis, scoliosis, and an ear infection due to paints constantly falling from above.

Already at the very beginning of work on the frescoes, Michelangelo was faced with the unexpected: a damp layer of plaster, called "intonaco", on which paint is applied, due to high humidity started to get moldy. The artist's assistant, Jacopo l'Indaco, proposed a new solution for the intonaco, which would later become widespread. But first, Michelangelo had to knock down the finished layer of fresco and do the work again.

Buonarroti began painting the Sistine Chapel from the wall opposite the altar and moved towards the altar wall. The figures of the three episodes associated with the "Drunkenness of Noah" are somewhat smaller in size than in subsequent pictures of the creation of the world. This is due to a change in the concept already in the process of work. As you approach the altar, Michelangelo's plan reaches architectonic clarity. The scene "Separation of light from darkness" was written later in just one day, but is central to the cycle. At first, the artist attracted other masters to work. For example, Granacci and Bugiardani helped paint the picture of the Flood. But over time, Michelangelo decided to make the painting exclusively his creation, and his assistants only carried out the preparatory work.

Historians report that the entire cycle of frescoes was completed by Michelangelo in three stages: the end of the first is the "Sacrifice of Noah", the second - "The Creation of Eve". Further, according to Vasari, on November 1, 1509, the scaffolding was dismantled in order to be transferred to the other half of the chapel. Many Romans came to inspect the finished frescoes and admired the creation of Michelangelo. But the master himself was not very pleased. Having the opportunity to view the vault from below, he noticed that at such a distance the details are inexpressive, and the panels are overflowing with figures. After the scene of the creation of Eve, the characters became larger and more concise, and their gestures were simpler. Although the artistic style has undergone changes, the frescoes of the chapel look unified and harmonious.

August 1510 suspended work on the vault painting: the pontiff's treasury was unable to finance the continuation of the project. Julius II did participate in hostilities outside the capital. After waiting a couple of weeks, Michelangelo went to Bologna in search of the pope. He returned to the capital only in December, without meeting the pontiff. Julius II returned to Rome in June 1511. He immediately demanded to dismantle the scaffolding in order to be able to inspect the paintings. On the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (August 15), the Pope inspected the chapel, after which he began to demand that the artist complete the work as soon as possible. The last pictures of the cycle are not marked by great detail, they are more generalized, but they also look spectacular. Already in October 1511, Michelangelo wrote to his father that the work on the vault was almost completed, but the “final touches” dragged on for almost a year. In the end, dad was not particularly pleased with a small amount of gold and blue flowers on the ceiling. In his opinion, this impoverished the painting. But Michelangelo noted that the ceiling is far from being gods, but holy people. The solemn opening of the chapel was celebrated with an evening liturgy on October 31, 1512.

Artistic design by Michelangelo

From the very beginning, Julius II did not even guess how his desire to “renew” the starry sky on the vault of the Sistine Chapel would end. In 1508, Michelangelo undertook to paint Jesus above the front door, his apostles in twelve triangles along the edges of the ceiling, and fill the central part with geometric ornament. The artist himself reported this to Gian Francesco Fattucci in his letter. Two drawings have even been preserved from the very first draft of the murals of the chapel. The first one, kept in the British Museum, contains fragments of the figures of the apostles. The second preparatory drawing with the compositions that were supposed to decorate the niches is in the Detroit Museum.

True, Michelangelo was not satisfied with such a “poor” version of the painting of the vault of the Sistine Chapel. Over time, he received permission from the pontiff to expand the iconography at will, choosing to tell the story of the history of the world. There is no exact information about whether the master developed the entire program on his own. He may have been consulted in matters of theology by the preacher Egidio da Vitebro and Marco Vigero. Thanks to the new artistic program, a connection was made between the already painted frescoes on the walls of the chapel and the paintings on the ceiling: from the stories of Moses to the life of Jesus Christ. The paintings in the zone of lutens and triangles are dedicated to the man on earth and the ancestors of Jesus. The middle belt was "populated" by the sibyls and prophets, who possessed special knowledge and understanding of the divine. Four demouldings in the corners of the ceiling of the chapel illustrate salvation stories from the Old Testament. And the central belt is occupied by paintings from the Book of Genesis, beginning with the creation of the world and ending with the intoxication of Noah. The main theme of the cycle was the necessity of Salvation, given by God to mankind through Jesus.

Undoubtedly, the vault of the Sistine Chapel became the pinnacle of the great sculptor's work. And who would have thought that Michelangelo would return here again? They say you can't step into the same river twice. But twenty-five years will pass, and another pope will again call Buonarroti to the Sistine Chapel. Most likely, the new pontiff Clement VII was haunted by the laurels of his predecessors: he also wanted to add his name to the list of popes who decorated the chapel. It is not known exactly when the aged Michelangelo received the contract, but he arrived in Rome in September 1534 in order to paint the altar wall. True, just a few days later, Clement VII died, and the artist, considering himself free, left the capital. But Paul III was not going to abandon the plan of his predecessor. It was on the instructions of the next pope that two windows were closed on the altar wall, and a new large-scale fresco was painted in place of the earlier images over the course of four years (from 1537 to 1541). Michelangelo, of course, tried to fit his previous works into the paintings of the Last Judgment, but in order for the composition in the boundless space of heaven to look holistic, this plan had to be abandoned over time. The master’s interpretation of the theme turned out to be very peculiar: Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment” is a dynamic rotation of the chaotically intertwined bodies of sinners and the righteous, in the center of which is the figure of Jesus the judge.

Last Judgment

Like the vault painting, the paintings of the Last Judgment were not easy for the artist. Already at the very beginning, Michelangelo had to defend his desire to work in the fresco technique. His assistant del Piombo and Paul III were convinced that the 60-year-old artist could not physically cope with such work and offered to paint oil paints. However, Buonarroti forced the oil painting base to be removed and began work on the fresco after applying a new layer. The start of work on The Last Judgment was also delayed due to the lack of high-quality blue paint that would satisfy the master. As a result, the artist started painting in the summer of 1536. When the work was nearing completion in 1540, Michelangelo fell from the scaffolding, and it took him time to recover. The Last Judgment painting was completed in 1541, and its opening took place exactly 29 years after the presentation of the frescoes on the vault - on the eve of All Saints Day on October 31.

Even at the time of writing The Last Judgment, the creation of Michelangelo caused not only admiration, but also a flurry of outrageous speeches. Cardinal Caraffa accused Buonarroti of obscenity, because in the main church he depicted naked bodies with bare genitals. The cardinal even organized a censorship campaign, which went down in history under the name “Fig Leaf Campaign”, which was supposed to destroy an indecent picture ... The nudity of the characters of the “Last Judgment” was hidden after the Council of Trent 24 years later, at the direction of Paul IV. Upon learning of this, Michelangelo conveyed to the pontiff that it was not difficult to remove the nudity in the picture, but let him try to give the world a decent look. Buonarroti's student Daniele da Volterra had to "dress" the characters. Despite the fact that the artist only slightly covered his nudity with tempera, the Romans forever called him the "pants painter". Disputes over the propriety of Michelangelo's work continued after his death. Only John Paul II in 1994 was able to put an end to the dispute between theologians and art critics. In his opinion, Michelangelo reflected his understanding of the words from the book of Genesis: "And they were both naked, Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed of it."

Sistine Chapel of today

Outwardly, the absolutely ordinary building of the Sistine Chapel today can rightly be called a personal monument to the della Rovere family (Julius II and Sixtus IV), and, of course, the great Michelangelo. Five centuries did not pass without a trace: the frescoes in the chapel were badly damaged by soot and burning candles, and the painting of the Last Judgment was even painted over under Pius IV, seeming to the pope unworthy to be on the wall of the main Christian church. About fifty years ago, the cleaning and restoration of the frescoes of the chapel began. The very first creations were restored back in 1965, and the restoration of the arches and the Last Judgment was carried out from 1980 to 1994.

Controversy over the decency of Michelangelo's creations subsided. Today, the Italians protect the chapel and the works on its walls and ceiling. Like five centuries ago, Conclaves are held within the walls of the Sistine Chapel, at which a new Pope is elected (the first Conclave took place in 1492). 120 bishops and archbishops are locked within the walls of the chapel and do not leave it until they are ready to tell the world the name of the new head of the Catholic Church. Thousands of believers gather in the square near St. Peter's Basilica in anticipation of the results. A smoke signal above the chapel announces the progress of the vote: white smoke indicates decision, black - about the continuation of the Conclave.

The Sistine Chapel today is not so much the main chapel of Catholics, but one of the most famous treasures of Italy, a real museum open to the public, and simply an unsurpassed monument to the entire Renaissance and ... to one sculptor.

Sistine Chapel (Italy) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

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The Sistine Chapel in the Vatican is one of the most famous and popular monuments of culture and history among tourists from all over the world. The building was built in the second half of the 15th century by order of Pope Sixtus IV. In honor of the pope, the chapel got its name. The construction of the building was carried out under the guidance of the architect George de Dolci.

Externally, the building, hand on heart, looks rather modest, however, once inside the building, you can be speechless from the beauty that surrounds you.

The Sistine Chapel is popular, first of all, thanks to the most beautiful and breathtaking wall paintings. Such famous masters as Sandro Botticelli, Pinturicchio and Michelangelo worked on the "decoration". The last of these masters created the legendary fresco "The Last Judgment" by order of Pope Paul III. This painting is amazing!

It is here that from the end of the 15th century to the present, Conclaves have been held - a meeting of Catholic cardinals who, after the death of the current pope, elect a new pontiff. White smoke over the Sistine Chapel announces that the Catholic world has received a new pope.

A ticket to the Vatican Museums costs 17 EUR. By paying 4 EUR, they can be purchased via the Internet, which will allow you to avoid queues.

Prices on the page are for September 2018.

The Sistine Chapel

One of the greatest monuments of Renaissance art, which should be touched by every guest of the Eternal City, is the Sistine Chapel. The painting by the outstanding painters of the Italian Renaissance is striking both in the scale of the idea and in the filigree of execution. Traditional biblical stories are presented from the standpoint of humanism - the defining worldview of that time. Not theological mysticism, but the human essence - whether high or low - found its embodiment on the walls of the chapel. This symbol of the power and wealth of the Catholic Church has become a monument to the genius of one of the titans of the Renaissance - Michelangelo Buonarroti.

What is a "chapel"? Sistine Chapel in Rome

A Catholic chapel is a religious building not intended for public worship. This term is translated into Russian as "chapel" or "house church".

The Great Chapel, on the site of which the famous Sistine Chapel was later built, has served as a meeting place for the cardinals of the Roman Church since the return of the popes to the Vatican from the "Avignon captivity" at the end of the 14th century.

By the end of the 15th century, the position of the papal state was ambiguous: on the one hand, huge power and wealth, on the other hand, the constant threat of military invasion by secular rulers who wanted to have influence on the Catholic Church or profit from part of its property. This duality is reflected by the Sistine Chapel built in the 80s of the XV century: a fortress outside - a museum inside.

architectural simplicity

Pope Sixtus IV ordered the reconstruction of the chapel of the Roman cardinals, whose name this building later received. The author of the project is Baccio Pantelli, the architect is George de Dolci.

Since it was possible that the building, located in the heart of the Vatican, next to St. Peter's, would have to be used as a shelter from enemy troops, the Sistine Chapel was built in accordance with the requirements for a fortress. The rectangular three-story building has the dimensions of the Old Testament Temple of Solomon - 41 meters long and 13 meters wide. On the top floor there is a guardroom and a circular defensive gallery.

There are no architectural features inside the structure either: a large rectangular hall with an oval vault, divided into two unequal parts by a marble fence. It was originally planned that the decoration of this object would not be architectural delights, but the painting of the walls and ceiling.

The first frescoes

The most prominent representatives of the Florentine art school were invited to decorate the interior. Among them are recognized masters Cosimo, Perugino, Ghirlandaio, Rosselli, Botticelli and their students. In the period from 1481 to 1483, these painters created 16 frescoes on biblical motifs (12 paintings have survived to this day) and portraits of 28 popes.

Among the surviving works of art by the Florentine masters, six belong to the cycle of the history of Christ and six to the history of Moses. On the altar wall of the temple there were the first chronologically known frescoes of both cycles known to us only from the descriptions: "The Birth of Christ" and "The Finding of Moses". Over them, half a century later, Michelangelo's masterpiece "The Last Judgment" was applied.

Who painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel before Michelangelo is not known to art historians. We only know that the vault was a celestial sphere strewn with stars.

Rebirth Titan

In 1508, Pope Julius II invited the famous sculptor Michelangelo Buonarroti to paint the plafond (vaulted ceiling) of the chapel.

A descendant of an impoverished noble Florentine family, Michelangelo had an interest in stone and sculpture since childhood. This hobby was not understood by his father, who believed that working with his hands was below the dignity of an aristocrat. However, the first successes of the young man dispelled all doubts: he should be a great sculptor! A student of Ghirlandaio, a pupil of Lorenzo Medici, forced to leave his native city for political reasons, he gained his fame in Rome.

IN last years the fifteenth century, Michelangelo creates a statue of Bacchus and a marble composition Pieta ("Weeper" - in honor of the Mother of God mourning Christ). The work is recognized as a masterpiece! The success of Pieta four years later, already in Florence, is repeated by the statue of David, put on public display in the central square.

In 1506, Julius II summoned a young sculptor to Rome to work on the statues of the papal tomb. Soon, the Pope cools off to this project, but a new idea arises in his brain.

Unwanted task

It was not otherwise that divine providence suggested to Julius who exactly should be painting the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo did not feel joy from such an order: for the sake of the frescoes of the chapel, he had to postpone the sculpture for the papal tomb in St. Peter's Basilica. Painting at that time was not a priority for Michelangelo. However, it was impossible to refuse the all-powerful customer, and in August of the same year, work began.

The master, who had no experience in plafond painting, had to face a number of difficulties, which is why at first he had to experiment a lot and endure many disappointments. The execution of the painting was also complicated by the fact that Michelangelo refused any help - both artistic and technical. He forbade even the Pope to look at the unfinished work. The only person who helped him in his work was a student who mixed paints.

Difficulties of the initial stage

First of all, in order not to damage the already existing frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo had to create fundamentally new scaffolding that did not touch the walls. On this building, at a height of twenty meters, the artist was to spend the next four years...

Humidity was the first problem. The fragment had to be written within one day, until the soaked area of ​​the plaster dried up (the finished painting looked unnatural when it was dry). But it turned out that the next day the drawing either dried up and discolored, or disappeared under a wet spot. Here persistence was shown by Julius, who "imposed" a consultant on the proud Michelangelo, with the help of which a solution to the problem with humidity was found.

Another difficulty was created by the uneven surface of the ceiling, which distorted the proportions. Here, the master himself had to deform the paintings in such a way that the figures looked proportional from the floor.

Chapel ceiling frescoes

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, together with the adjacent lunettes, has an area of ​​about 600 m2. Huge job for one person! The painting lasted from 1508 to 1512. What did the master depict?

In the center of the vault there are three groups of frescoes: "The Creation of the World", "The Creation of Man", "The Deluge". Each of them has three pictures. The "Creation of the World" series includes "Separation of Light from Darkness", "Creation of the Sun and Stars" and "Separation of Water from Land". The second group includes "The Creation of Adam" (perhaps the most famous fragment of the fresco), "The Creation of Eve", "The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden". The third group includes the fragments "Intoxication of Noah", "The Great Flood" and "Noah's Sacrifice".

These frescoes are surrounded by images of Old Testament prophets and sibyls (soothsayers). Even lower we see numerous portraits of the ancestors of Christ. In addition, in the rounded corners of the ceiling, four large-scale paintings on themes from the Old Testament are depicted.

"Last Judgment"

Upon completion of this grandiose work, the Sistine Chapel was completely painted, so hardly anyone would have thought that Michelangelo would have to return to work on its frescoes. However, in 1534, the new Pope Paul III decided to decorate the altar wall of the chapel with a huge fresco depicting the Last Judgment. He sees only the author of the remarkable painting of the plafond of the papal chapel as a performer. So the fifty-nine-year-old Michelangelo takes on a new large-scale order.

To make room for the painting, two frescoes by Perugino, created by him in the 80s of the previous century, had to be plastered and several windows closed. The entire space above the altar was dedicated to the image of God's Judgment.

It makes no sense to retell the plot of this fresco of the Sistine Chapel - it is better to see it with your own eyes in photographs, since today it is not difficult to find them. It is only necessary to explain why, from the power and greatness of man, displayed on the ceiling of the chapel, Michelangelo moves on to depicting people as victims of fate, powerless toys in the hands of higher powers. The reason is not only the plot of the Last Judgment, which can hardly be called life-affirming, and not only the age of the master. All the life he lived, all the events that took place around him: coups, wars, civil strife, the occupation of part of Italy by neighbors, all the poverty and injustice of the world around him undermined Michelangelo's faith in the power of human will and reason.

Further improvements

The senselessness of ruling what was created by geniuses is not obvious to everyone and not always. Even during the life of the great Buonarroti, someone else's brush passed through his frescoes. All the characters of the Last Judgment were painted naked, which seemed indecent to many. In 1565, Daniele de Volterra added loincloths to the figures of this fresco, thereby "immortalizing" himself under the nickname "Braghettone" (underwear). Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel took on the decorous air we know.

But even with the "cuts" the fresco of the Last Judgment was not safe. In 1596, she was almost shot down at the behest of Pope Clement VIII. The masterpiece was then saved by the petition of the artists of the Roman Academy of St. Luke.

Restoration in the 20th century

For four centuries, restoration work in the Sistine Chapel was carried out more than once, but soon the frescoes were again covered with candle soot and dirt. The last restoration was carried out in the nineties of the last century. Cleaned and carefully restored, the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel caused considerable surprise to the researchers.

Previously, there was a widespread belief that Michelangelo used muted colors in his work. Not at all. After the restoration, the famous works of the master shone with a bright range of colors. However, many connoisseurs did not accept the updated look of the chapel, considering the results of the restoration to be inconsistent with the appearance of the original source.

Where is the Sistine Chapel located? In which city can you see Michelangelo's masterpiece?

Wanting to gain a reputation as a patron of the arts (and at the same time replenish the treasury), the Catholic Church opened many of its palaces and treasuries to visitors. The Sistine Chapel, like many other Vatican museums, can be visited by anyone. All you need is twenty euros for a ticket. Well, of course, you first need to get to Rome, because it is in this city that the papal capital with all its attractions is located.

But it would be wrong to think that the Sistine Chapel is only a museum. Until now, important meetings of cardinals are held in this building, the most important of which - the conclave - gathers after the death of the next Pope to elect his successor.

Everyone has heard about the Sistine Chapel since school. This is one of the places you want to visit in your lifetime. But be sure to first study the topic to know where? what? and in what order to watch.

Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina), photo xiquinhosilva

Construction history

The Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina) was built from 1475 to 1481 by order of the Pontiff Sixtus IV to the glory of the Assumption of Mary in heaven. Previously, this place was the Great Chapel, where the papal court gathered and conclaves took place. The reconstruction of the chapel was entrusted to the architect Baccio Pontelli and the engineer Giovannino de Dolci.

The Sistine Chapel looks like a fortified bastion from the outside: a rectangular building 40.9 m long, 13.4 m wide and 20.7 m high. The situation in the Middle Ages in fragmented Italy was restless, hence the strong walls without frills. The chapel was to become a stronghold of the Catholic Church, a refuge where popes could take refuge in troubled times. Sixtus IV wanted the house church of the Papal State to embody the protection of God's governors with its appearance, and emphasize their power with its interior decoration.

The building of the Sistine Chapel, photo Stefano Petroni

murals

The spacious hall of the chapel is flooded with light from the windows and spotlights. The ceiling is especially brightly lit. There, on the high vaults, are the famous frescoes by Michelangelo Buonarotti. It is difficult to fully experience the grandeur of the Sistine Chapel because of the many tourists. Noise and flickering flashes interfere, although photography (as well as making noise) is prohibited here.

Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, by Michelangelo, photo by Salvatore Vitale

Scheme of vault painting, photo Vasyatka1

The ceiling of the chapel was painted by Michelangelo. Pope Julius II gave the order to paint the plafond to Michelangelo at the suggestion of Bramati, a rival architect, an envious Buonarotti. Until that time, the great master was engaged only in architecture. It is believed that Bramati wanted to provoke Michelangelo to overwork and thereby achieve his defeat.

Seeing the creation of the Master, it becomes clear that no envious people could compare with the genius of Michelangelo and prevent him. Comprehensively gifted Buonarotti triumphantly acted as an artist, proving his great talent.

There is a legend that the artist worked on painting the vaults while lying on the scaffolding - but in reality everything happened differently. Michelangelo stood under the vaults. He had to lean back a lot to see a large section of the plane. It was physically difficult to write on damp plaster, inhaling damp vapors. For four years, the master received several chronic diseases, spoiled his eyesight. The first stage of his work in the chapel took place in 1508–12.

The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo, photo by Maurizio

The frescoes were painted according to a special scheme, in chronological order. The artist began with the remote part of the vault, opposite the altar. His first composition was "The Flood".

Today, looking at these frescoes, one thinks not of divine wrath and a worldwide catastrophe. In these pictures, a person is seen with his weaknesses, fears, the desire to survive at any cost. Michelangelo managed to create not cold religious scenes with incorporeal characters, but pictures of life that subtly convey the feelings of people.

Twenty years had passed since the completion of Michelangelo's work in the Sistine Chapel, when the pontiff again addressed him. Pope Clement VII commissioned the Last Judgment fresco for the altar wall. The artist was already old and very ill, but agreed to fulfill the order.

Fresco "The Last Judgment" on the altar wall, Michelangelo (photo by Maurizio)

And here we see this amazing huge fresco. Michelangelo depicted not just a moment of retribution for sins - he painted a terrible picture of the Apocalypse and general despair.

The Last Judgment differs from other frescoes in the chapel in its coloration: its main background is bright blue. The artist used mineral lapis lazuli in it (he bought it, they say, with his own money). The altar painting of the chapel was completed in 1541. The composition includes 400 figures.

Standing in front of this picture, you no longer notice either the crowd of tourists or the flashes of “forbidden” cameras. The genius of Michelangelo penetrates the soul - you are left alone with him.

The walls of the Sistine Chapel were painted by other eminent masters: Botticelli, Perugino, Roselli, Pinturicchio, Vasari, Salviati, Zuccaro.

Michelangelo depicted most of the characters in his frescoes naked. However, Pope Paul IV (1555-1559) saw blasphemy in them (well, or showed the usual bigotry). He did not like the naked bodies in the temple so much that he decided to destroy all the work of Michelangelo. The situation was saved by the artist Daniele da Voltaire, who “covered” parts of the naked bodies with painted pieces of fabric.

The restorers of the 20th century restored justice and removed the superfluous from the great creations.

The restoration of the frescoes of the chapel was carried out more than once. The most extensive work began in the 80s of the XX century and lasted until 2000. The last restoration caused controversy - a lot of high praise and harsh criticism. However, today, thanks to the skill of the restorers of the last century, we saw the masterpieces of the Renaissance in their original splendor.

Today the Chapel is a museum, an outstanding monument of the Renaissance, conclaves are held here.

Sistine Papal Music Chapel

The Sistine Chapel has a male choir - the Papal Chapel (Capella Papale). Its first composition was recruited under Sixtus IV. You can listen to the a cappella performance of the choir on major church holidays.

Opening hours of the Sistine Chapel

Mon-Sat from 9:00 to 18:00 (last entry at 16:00),

Every last Sunday of the month from 9:00 to 14:00 (last admission 12:30).

Entrance fees: Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

Full ticket - €17;
reduced — €8.00;
the cost of booking online is €4.00.

Audio guide (optional) - €7.

See other options for visiting the Sistine Chapel.

To avoid standing in line, buy tickets on the official website.

How to get there

Take metro line A to Ottaviano station;
tram 19 to the stop Risorgimento - San Pietro;
bus number 49 - to V.le Vaticano / musei Vaticani; ed. 32, 81, 982 - to Piazza del Risorgimento; ed. 492, 990 - to Via Leone IV / Via degli Scipion.

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