ou’re not supposed to take pictures of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, or the Chapel itself, this might seem reasonable as you might think it’s due to the concern camera flashes can do to the artwork. Instead, the ban is in place because when the Chapel needed to be restored the Vatican sought outside funding and Nippon Television Network Corporation (Japan) was the highest bidder – pouring in a total of 4.2 million to restore the paintings. In return, they got exclusive rights to photography and video of the restored art.

A few problems here:

Those rights were never meant to effect casual tourists (says Nippon), it applied to professional photographer seeking to earn money on the photographs

• That copyright ran out in 1997.
• Why should the Vatican seek outside assistance at all to repair one of the most valuable murals on the planet? A ‘corporation worth over 15 Billion dollars.

Anyway, when I went I saw many others taking ‘sneak’ photos of the ceiling despite the lackluster calls of ‘no photos’ and ‘no video’s and I did the same. However, 90% of mine didn’t turn out as you can’t properly aim and focus. The whole thing is just silly and needs to be resolved. Photos should, of course, be allowed but no flashes – just like most museums.

Having seen ‘The Creation of Adam’ – god reaching out to touch fingers with Adam – all your life you expect a big mural. Instead it’s rather small, in part due to distance, but in reality, it’s only 2.8m tall, and part of over 5,000sqft of paintings he did in the Chapel. 

1. Things to see

We came to see the Papal audience, given nearly every Wednesday. It’s free to attend, but plenty of companies make their living making you think you need a ticket from them to secure the best seats. You just need to write the Vatican asking for tickets and then show up early. No matter where you sit you’ll still need binoculars or a hefty zoom camera to get a good look, and most people will foil even that as they invariably stand on their seats as is being two feet higher will bring them 100 feet closer.

A tour through St. Peters Basilica is worth it, and the one thing that tour companies can provide is very early and very late entries – so you’ll be with fewer people. There are just so many tourists at all times that the whole thing is a bit of a mess. I did an early morning tour and thought it was worth the money just to save my sanity from the crowds. Photography is allowed most everywhere except the Sistine Chapel.

View inside St. Peters

Early, before the people arrive in the thousands

Sistine Chapel and at the Papal address

The Pope

Hallway

Outside St. Peters

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A few more photos

3. Spend

All sorts of things you can buy with the image of the Pope or have your rosary blessed.

5. Getting Around

I took a taxi to St. Peters Square, then walked, and exited the same way.

6. Costs

Tickets are free if you write in advance. However, you’ll have to make two trips to Vatican City, one trip on Tuesday before the Wednesday address to pick them up at the Bronze Door where the Swiss Guard stand between 3-7pm… Or the morning of the address itself – but you’ll find yourself in a long queue. So, it might be worthwhile to just pay the tour company in the end.

7. Tips

Book an early morning tour to see the Sistine Chapel before the hoards arrive and bring your breakfast or snack as few vendors are open when you arrive for the Papal Address. If it’s a sunny day then sunscreen, a hat and some sunglasses and lots of water are surely welcome.

St. Peters Basilica and the Sistine Chapel are worth the visit alone.