Sistine Chapel

A room that looks like heaven, painted by a Renaissance great

Heavenly rays from Rome’s sky pour in through the windows along the top of the Sistine Chapel’s main walls. The sun stays trapped in the light, airy chamber, blessing it.

The chapel itself hardly needs an explanation – the man whose hand knowingly sculpted Florence’s David wasn’t just a one-hit wonder. Michelangelo. See his handiwork adorning every inch of wall-space. He added the finishing touches in 1512.

Delicate frescoes quivering with human detail dance across the main walls. They show Jesus and Moses, and they draw your eye to the back wall. A muscular Jesus presides over the day of judgement. Swirling, endlessly intricate spirals twist on the marble floor. But your eye is irresistibly drawn to the ceiling.

Look up, and, depending on your point of view, meet your maker. One of the greatest works of art ever made is above you – the Creation of Adam. God’s finger passes the invisible spark of life into Adam’s.

Michelangelo was a proud Renaissance son. He celebrated his era’s intellectual awakening. See if you can tell what god’s cloak represents.

If man was created in God’s image, then Michelangelo has designed the Sistine Chapel in Heaven’s. Men of his age felt that artistic achievement brought them closer to God. He got so close he could almost reach out and touch him.