Between 1475 and 1481, by the will of Sisto the IV of Rovere, Giovannino De'Dolci was hired to raise the Sistine Chapel. Between 1508 and 1512 the facade of the Sistine was brought to life by Michelangelo who inserted the 12 images of the apostles in the lunettes and after obtaining complete freedom of art by the new pope, Julio II, the large ceiling surface of 13 by 36 meters was painted in three parts.

Sistine Chapel

When visiting the Sistine Chapel, and admiring these breathless works, one could describe the sensation similar to the soul opening up to a pathway towards God. Initially, under Sisto IV, the frescos which adorn the walls that surround the alter and its two sides, were worked on by various artists including Perugino, Signorelli, and Botticelli.

The azure vault, embedded with stars, was later finished by Michelangelo, again by the will of Julio II, who decorated the vault with marvelous frescos which have surley become the fame of the Sistine Chapel.

Needless to say, Michelangelo, whose talent and maestry in painting, is surely the principal artist of the Sistine Chapel.

For this reason, many years later, he was summoned by Pope Paul III to paint another piece of art entitled "Il Gidizio Universale" ( universal judgement) on the back walls of the Chapel. The frescos of the vault and those of Il Giudizio Universale take up a surface of approximately 88 square meters and are without a doubt among the most admired masterpieces in the world of art.