The Sistine Chapel was built on the site of Cappella Maggiore, which was used by the Pope and his entourage for worship every day and this function continues in the chapel unless the Pope is travelling. It was designed for Pope Sixtus IV by Baccio Pontelli and constructed under the direction of Giovannino de Dolci in the 15th century. The scope of the Sistine Chapel follows that of the Cappella Maggiore. It hosted its first mass in 1483 to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption and at this time the chapel was sanctified and devoted to Mary.

The Sistine Chapel is a tall rectangular brick church, whose exterior is devoid of any striking architectural or ornamental details. Doors to the chapel are connected to the Papal Palace and the interior is split into three storeys’, the lowest of which is the largest. The main area above shares the same dimensions as Solomon’s Temple, which is specified in the Old Testament. It contains a beautiful vaulted ceiling over 20 metres high and has eight arched windows, some of which have long since been blocked up. The upper storey contains rooms for guards and has a roofed gangway encompassing the building. To protect the structure of the chapel, large ramparts have been constructed around the exterior walls. Inside a marble screen designed by Giovanni Dalmata, Mino da Fiesole and Andrea Bregno divides the chapel into two parts. It has a wooden door and is decorated by a row of intricate candlesticks.

One of the marvels of the chapel is the ceiling painted in the 16th Century by Michelangelo for Pope Julius II. It portrays nine pictures from the Book of Genesis including 'God's Creation of the World', 'God's relationship with Mankind' and 'Mankind's fall from God's Grace'. ''The Creation of Adam', a painting of God’s hand reaching out and touching Adam is possibly the most famous of these scenes. Michelangelo changed the original request for scenes of the twelve apostles painting instead around 300 icons, which took four years to complete. He also painted the alter wall with detailed and intricate frescoes from The Last Judgment. Another notable sight is the series of tapestries created by the great master Raphael for Pope Leo VI. The tapestries portray events from the lives of the apostles Peter and Paul. Other walls were painted by the likes of Sandro Botticelli, who painted 'Scenes of the Life of Moses' and the 'Temptation of Christ.' Other noted Renaissance artists painted historic scenes from the Bible and can be divided into three eras of religious history; those paintings which represent the period before Moses was handed the Ten Commandments, the period following this up to the time of Jesus’ birth and the period of sustained Christianity thereafter.

Each time a new pope is elected in the chapel conclave, a chimney is mounted into the roof of the chapel to allow smoke to rise out and inform the public as to the deliberations of the conclave. When white smoke is visible a new pope has been elected. The pure white smoke is made from the burning of the election ballots and a chemical additive. Black smoke signifies that the election has not been concluded. The black smoke is created by burning wet straw with the ballot papers.