Skip to main content

Sistine Chapel gets brighter look, cooler feel

By WTOP Staff

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Sistine Chapel has a brighter, cooler new look.

The Vatican on Wednesday unveiled a state-of-the art illumination and air conditioning system designed to better show off the chapel’s precious frescoes and protect them from the dirt, dust and sweat of the nearly 6 million people who marvel at them every year.

The three-year, 3 million euro ($3.8 million) project was undertaken because the existing air conditioning system, installed 20 years ago when only 1.5 million people visited annually, was unable to maintain the humidity and temperature levels needed to keep the frescoes safe.

Vatican Museums director Antonio Paolucci said it was fitting that the Vatican was marking the 450th anniversary of Michelangelo’s death “with something durable, not ephemeral.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

By WTOP Staff
WASHINGTON — Do you know what you'd do if an emergency hits? What if you're at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic and your children are in school? There's no way to plan for every emergency, but you can make sure you're prepared for different scenarios, including making a plan for your family and building a kit of emergency supplies.
Read Next Story

Related News

More than 200 sickened aboard Baltimore cruise ship

Unsafe in any freeze: Some 4WD vehicles have major limitations

Common mistakes for home buyers, and sellers