Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel is a chapel located in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope, in Vatican City. It is named after Pope Sixtus IV, who restored it between 1477 and 1480. The Sistine Chapel has been used for papal conclaves since 1492, and has been the site of two of the three papal elections that have occurred since the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005. The Sistine Chapel is famous for its architecture, its paintings, and its ceiling frescoes by Michelangelo. The chapel is the location of the Papal Conclave, an event that takes place following the death or resignation of a pope, during which the cardinals of the Catholic Church meet to elect a new pope.