Sistine Chapel, Vatican

The Sistine Chapel in the Vatican is the pope’s chapel and one of the supreme achievements of Western art. Michelangelo’s ceiling frescoes, including The Creation of Adam, and his Last Judgement draw millions of visitors each year.

  • The Creation of Adam

    ByDominik Szobak

    Most people recognize the outstretched fingers at the center of The Creation of Adam — but almost nobody realizes that the swirling red cloak and figures surrounding God in this iconic fresco form a shape that is anatomically identical to a human brain, a detail that has sparked centuries of debate about whether Michelangelo secretly…