Cappella Sistina

The Capella Sistina, or Sistine Chapel, was the chapel of the pope in Rome, and centre of the Catholic faith.

In 1492, Rodrigo Borgia became Pope Alexander VI, and moved into St. Peter's Basilica, of which the Sistine Chapel is a part. Seven years later, in 1499, Ezio Auditore da Firenze infiltrated the chapel in order to assassinate Rodrigo Borgia and locate The Vault, which he had learnt was built beneath the Basilica, it is assumed that the Sistine Chapel will play a role in the upcoming game: Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.

Database Entry

Inspired by the architecture of Solomon's Temple, the Sistine Chapel is the most famous room in the Apostolic Palace (the Pope's Vatican residence). The Chapel's famous ceiling frescos did not exist yet in 1503 (Michaelangelo wouldn't be working for the Vatican until the papacy of Julius II, years after the events of the games), so no climbing across the finger of God, but the wall paintings that line the chapel painted by Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli and Domenico Ghirlandaio, among others, are an ample consolation prize.

As the Pope's personal chapel, mass is frequently held inside, as are the Papal Conclaves, which occur after the Pope's death. The cardinals are locked inside the chapel and are not permitted to leave until a new Pope is elected. Only through smoke signals, sent up a chimney to announce the new Pope, can they escape.