Sistine Chapel will be able to receive more visitors

The Vatican Museums hope that the new climate control system, which will be installed this fall, will almost triple the number of visitors to the Sistine Chapel who want to enjoy Renaissance frescoes. In this case, the system will be practically invisible to visitors.

Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel. Photo: Brian Bukowski

This was reported at the end of last month by the Vatican. More energy-efficient and powerful heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems are expected to have a significant impact on the attendance of the chapel, with a maximum capacity of 700 to 2,000 people at a time.

True, not everyone is happy about the upcoming event. Two employees of the Vatican Museum in an interview with the Spanish newspaper "El Pais" expressed concern about the safety of priceless exhibits. “Look how many people there are! See what narrow corridors and stairs. This is not a MoMA Museum of Modern Art in New York, but a palace that was built without expecting it to become a museum. Is it good that the Sistine Chapel, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places in the world that we are very proud of, has become a very uncomfortable place where crowds of two thousand tourists are crowded, ”said one of the employees who asked to remain anonymous.

However, the Director of the Vatican Museums, Antonio Paolucci, emphasized that it is the safety of the chapel that is the main goal of the planned re-equipment, which will be carried out for the first time since the 1990s. “The improved climate control system guarantees visitors the opportunity to see Michelangelo’s masterpieces without compromising their preservation,” he said.

Anna Sidorova © Gallerix.ru