Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgement and Raphael's Rooms
Founded by Pope Julius II in the early sixteenth century, the Vatican Museums are one of the largest museum complexes in the world, with seven kilometres of halls holding the art collections of the popes: classical sculptures such as the Laocoön and the Apollo Belvedere, the Gallery of Maps, Egyptian and Etruscan antiquities and a picture gallery with Leonardo, Raphael and Caravaggio.
The visit leads through the Raphael Rooms, the papal apartments frescoed by the young painter, with the School of Athens, to the climax: the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo painted the ceiling between 1508 and 1512, with the Creation of Adam at its centre, and, twenty years later, the immense Last Judgement on the altar wall. It is here that the cardinals meet in conclave to elect the pope.
Tip: book online to avoid hours of queuing; on the last Sunday of the month entry is free but extremely crowded. Photography is not allowed in the Sistine Chapel.
Where it is
More things to see in Lazio
Where to stay near Rome
Tours and activities nearby
Offers from GetYourGuide. Some links are affiliate links: if you book we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.