Is the Sistine Chapel in St. Peter's Basilica? The Difference
Updated October 28, 2026
Verdict
If you only have time for one, choose by what you want to see. The Sistine Chapel is for Michelangelo's frescoes and needs a Museums ticket (20 € + 5 € online). The basilica is free and opens every day from 7:00 a.m. To see both, enter the Museums in the morning and cross to the basilica afterward, or book a tour that includes both.
No, the Sistine Chapel is not in St. Peter's Basilica: they are two separate buildings with two separate entrances. The Sistine Chapel is a chapel of the Apostolic Palace, visited at the end of the Vatican Museums route with a paid ticket. St. Peter's Basilica is the great church that presides over St. Peter's Square; getting in costs nothing, and you only pay to climb the dome. Both are in Vatican City, about 570 m in a straight line between the Museums entrance and the square. You can see both on the same day.
| Criterion | Sistine Chapel | St. Peter's Basilica |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A chapel of the Apostolic Palace, on the Vatican Museums route | The Vatican's main church, facing St. Peter's Square |
| Entry | With the Museums ticket: 20 € at the ticket office or 20 € + 5 € online | No entrance fee; the dome costs 22 € with the elevator or 17 € by the stairs |
| Where you go in | Museums entrance, on Viale Vaticano | Security check under the right-hand colonnade of St. Peter's Square |
| Hours | Monday to Saturday 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m., last entry 6:00 p.m.; closed Sundays except the last of the month | Every day 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. from 26 October 2026 to 28 March 2027; 7:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. in summer |
| Photos | Banned: no photos or video with any device | The basilica asks visitors not to take photos |
| Silence | Required; phone off | No phone calls |
| Cloakroom | Free at the Museums for large bags and umbrellas | No cloakroom: travel light |
| Main work | Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgment | Michelangelo's Pietà, Bernini's baldachin and the dome |
Are they in the same building?
No. The Sistine Chapel is part of the Apostolic Palace, the Pope's official residence, and today it is also the last great room on the Vatican Museums route. It is also where the conclave meets, in which the cardinals elect the Pope. St. Peter's Basilica is a separate church, south of the palace, with its facade on St. Peter's Square. From outside, the Museums entrance is on Viale Vaticano, beside the wall, and the basilica's is in the square. Read more in our guides to the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica.
Separate tickets
The Sistine Chapel has no ticket of its own: you get in with the Vatican Museums ticket, which costs 20 € at the ticket office or 20 € + 5 € online and is valid only for that day. St. Peter's Basilica has no entrance fee; you wait in the line for the Italian police security check under the right-hand colonnade. You only pay for the dome: 22 € with the elevator to the terrace or 17 € by the stairs, both with a visit to the basilica. From the terrace there are about 320 narrow steps to the top, not recommended for children under 6 or for people with vertigo, claustrophobia or heart problems. See the Vatican Museums ticket prices.
Dress and rules at both
The dress code is the same in the Museums, the Sistine Chapel and the basilica: covered shoulders, no low-cut tops, no shorts above the knee or miniskirts, and no caps. The basilica has no cloakroom, so leave large backpacks at the hotel. In the Sistine Chapel there are no photos or video and you keep silent. We explain it in the Vatican dress code and Sistine Chapel photos.
How to see both on the same day
It is the most common plan, and it fits into one day.
- On your own — Book the Museums first thing, finish in the Sistine Chapel, leave via Viale Vaticano and walk around the wall to St. Peter's Square to go through the basilica's security check. Climb the dome before it closes: 5:00 p.m. in winter, 6:00 p.m. in summer.
- With a combined tour — Some guided tours go from the Sistine Chapel to the basilica through a direct passage, without going back to the square. The guided tour of the Museums, the Sistine Chapel and the basilica costs from $71, and the combined ticket with the basilica from $68.
- Watch out on Wednesdays — According to tour listings, the basilica closes on Wednesday mornings for the Pope's general audience, and it can close without notice for ceremonies. The Museums are closed on Sundays except the last of the month.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sistine Chapel in St. Peter's Basilica?
No. The Sistine Chapel is in the Apostolic Palace and is visited with a Vatican Museums ticket. St. Peter's Basilica is another building, facing St. Peter's Square, and charges no entrance fee.
Does the Vatican Museums ticket include St. Peter's Basilica?
No. The Museums ticket includes the Sistine Chapel, not the basilica. The basilica charges no entrance fee, but it has its own security line in the square.
Can you go from the Sistine Chapel to the basilica without leaving?
Some guided tours use a direct passage from the chapel to the basilica. If you go on your own, you leave through the Museums entrance and walk to St. Peter's Square.
What is open on Sundays?
The basilica is open every day. The Museums and the Sistine Chapel only open on the last Sunday of the month, free, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
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