The Sistine Chapel remains closed at the moment and will not reopen until after a papal conclave
What will the papal conclave mean for your visit to Sistine Chapel The answer is yes. (This shouldn’t surprise, considering the conclave takes place in the Sistine Chapel. Even if it is disappointing. ).
March 5th marked the closing of the Sistine Chapel. It will not reopen until after the conclave is over and a new pope is chosen.
We now have to answer the next question: When will the conclave be? We don’t yet know the answer. It could happen as soon as Monday, March 11. It could happen as late as Monday, March 11. It’s speculation at this stage.
Are you disappointed that you won’t be able to visit the Sistine Chapel. We get it. You can be comforted by the fact that you are missing Michelangelo’s frescoes because of a historic reason. Papal conclaves are always a big deal. The last time a pope resigned was in 1415. This is a very historic event. For more information on and its workings, see our previous post! ).
Do you have a Vatican tour booked with us? We have many special access privileges to Vatican. However, you cannot visit the Sistine Chapel while cardinals are there. Voting on the new pope is not one of these privileges. Email us at [emailprotected] for more information. We can help you to cancel your tour, or rebook it for another date. Call us at +1-888-683-8370. Thanks for your understanding!
You can visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel by taking our Pristine Sistine(tm), or our for two hours.
