Point of interest
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
in Rome, Italy
One of the world's greatest art collections, crowned by Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes in the Sistine Chapel.
Where it is
The Vatican Museums are in Vatican City, with the entrance on Viale Vaticano, northeast of St. Peter's Square.
What it is
The route runs through kilometres of galleries of ancient sculpture, the Raphael Rooms and the picture gallery before reaching the Sistine Chapel at the end. The museums are extremely busy; an online timed ticket avoids long queues, and entry is free on the last Sunday of each month in the morning.
History
The Vatican Museums grew from the collection of Pope Julius II in the early 16th century and are today among the largest and most-visited museums in the world. Their highlight is the Sistine Chapel, with Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes (1508–1512) and his Last Judgment. The chapel still hosts the conclave that elects the pope.