The Sistine Chapel Lights Up and Shines Brighter Than Ever

The new lighting gives the chapel housing the greatest works of Renaissance a soft and uniform brilliance, enabling visitors to fully appreciate the frescoes of Michelangelo, Pietro Perugino, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Bartolomeo della Gatta or Botticelli.

The German company OSRAM, along with experts from the Vatican, from different universities in Hungary and Italy and the Catalonia Institute for Energy Research carried out several experiments to determine which type of light would best fit the Sistine Chapel.

The bulbs are barely visible, as they are hidden underneath the windows to make it look as if there was no lighting.

Most importantly, the LEDs do not pose any danger to the masterpieces, because they do not generate any heat whatsoever.

The chapel has also unveiled a new air conditioning system that aims to preserve the frescoes from the impact of millions of visitors by eliminating dust and maintaining the right temperature and humidity in the building.

Some $3.81 million were spent on the renovation of the Chapel, which houses the Papal conclave by which a new pope is chosen.

Of that amount, $1.1 million came from the European Union.