Where to See the Works of Michelangelo in Rome: Your Complete Guide

Florence might have Michelangelo's David, but the Eternal City is home to several of his most notable works.

I can't wait to share this brief history of Michelangelo in Rome and where to find his art in the city.

Discovering Michelangelo in Rome - Everything you need to know

Many people know Michelangelo as a Renaissance artist and Florence as the main city of the Renaissance.

However, Michelangelo Buonarroti was one of the most highly respected and talented artists of his time, so of course, word of his accomplishments reached Rome even when he was still a teenager.

While his work on the Sistine Chapel ceiling is world-famous, Michelangelo's masterpieces can be found all over the city in museums, churches, and piazzas.

From paintings to frescoes to sculptures and architecture, this guide has all the essential details of artworks by Michelangelo in Rome.

On this page we'll be talking about:

• Michelangelo's story and his life in Rome
• Michelangelo at the Vatican
• Sculptures by Michelangelo in Rome
• Michelangelo's architectural work
• Other places to see Michelangelo's work

A brief history of Michelangelo Buonarroti

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was born in 1475 in the Tuscan village Caprese near Arezzo.

Since the early 20th century, the town is called 'Caprese Michelangelo'.

His family moved to Florence shortly after he was born.

Michelangelo liked to copy paintings from churches as a child.

At the age of around thirteen, he became an apprentice of master artist Domenico Ghirlandaio.

Ghirlandaio introduced Michelangelo to Lorenzo de' Medici, the ruler of the Florentine Republic.

Michelangelo would later create works for both Lorenzo and his son Piero.

When the Medici were expelled from Florence in 1494, Michelangelo left too.

He spent some time in Venice and Bologna until he could return to Florence and continue working for the Medici family.

This is where things get interesting.

Michelangelo in Rome

Michelangelo crafted a sculpture of cupid.

Lorenzo de' Medici thought they could pass it off as an ancient piece so they could sell it for a higher price.

Cardinal Raffaele Riario bought the sculpture and discovered it was a fraud.

Still, he was so impressed with the work that he invited Michelangelo to Rome in 1496.

Michelangelo spent the rest of his life traveling between Florence and Rome, creating some of his most famous works for nine consecutive popes from Julius II to Pius IV.

Michelangelo's death

Michelangelo died in 1564 in Rome and was buried in the SS. Apostoli church.

However, Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici wouldn't accept leaving Michelangelo in Rome forever.

He tasked Michelangelo's nephew Lionardo Buonarroti with bringing the body to Florence, and Giorgio Vasari with designing a funerary monument.

Michelangelo's tomb in the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence was finally completed in 1578.

Why is Michelangelo so famous?

Michelangelo's genius spanned artistic mediums, but he saw himself as a sculptor first and foremost.

His work focused on human subjects and preferred to represent beauty rather than reality.

His famous masterpieces are full of emotion.

Michelangelo painted and sculpted works with curves, twists, and volume.

Let's not forget his success in architecture!

Michelangelo understood the balance of light, space, and shadow.

Like his other works, his architecture was influenced by classical styles in antiquity.

There's no wonder that he's still one of the most influential artists in Western art of all time!

Michelangelo at the Vatican

Michelangelo created vast amounts of artwork for the Vatican.

His most famous contributions are undoubtedly St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel ceiling in the Vatican Museums.

St Peter's Basilica

Michelangelo was one of the principal architects of St Peter's Basilica (or Basilica di San Pietro) when a new version of the church was needed.

He was practically forced by Pope Paul III to take over as the lead designer in 1546, and worked on St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City until his death.

He modelled the basilica's dome partly on the dome of Florence cathedral (both domes consist of two shells) and also unified all the components of the church into one cohesive building.

Not only did he redesign St Peter's Basilica on its original Greek cross floor plan, but one of his best marble sculptures is inside!

The Pietà depicts the Virgin Mary holding her crucified son moments after his death.

It's one of the key pieces of Renaissance art and the only piece of Michelangelo's art that he ever signed.

To discover more about St Peter's Basilica, check out all our essential St Peter's Basilica visitor information here.

Vatican Museums

Two of his most famous masterpieces are in the Sistine Chapel, located in the Vatican Museums.

The first was the Sistine Chapel ceiling, painted between 1508 and 1512.

Despite claiming not to be a painter, Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to produce this fresco painting.

He painted nine vibrant scenes from the Book of Genesis on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Famously, the Creation of Adam is in the center.

Michelangelo returned to paint The Last Judgement between 1536 to 1541, located on the altar wall.

At the request of Pope Paul III, he also painted two large frescoes for the Pauline Chapel (also known as the Chapel of Saint Peter and Saint Paul).

Sculptures by Michelangelo in Rome

Michelangelo's sculptures are viewable in a couple of different churches in the Eternal City.

Moses and the Tomb of Pope Julius II - Church of San Pietro in Vincoli

One of the earliest works by Michelangelo in Rome, Pope Julius II commissioned the artist to create his funeral monument in 1505.

It wasn't completed until 1545 (32 years after the pope's death) and Michelangelo, ever the perfectionist, was never completely satisfied with it.

Originally designed to be a massive structure, with 40 different statues, the final monument was much smaller than intended, likely because the costs involved got to be too much.

Pope Clement VII gave the artist his final instructions to place the monument in the unassuming Church of San Pietro in Vincoli, not St Peter's Basilica.

However, it's said that one of Michelangelo's favorite pieces of art is Moses, the figure in the center.

It's a phenomenal Renaissance sculpture made from the finest Carrara marble.

He considered his sculpture of the prophet so lifelike that he even commanded the statue to speak!

If you look closely at Moses's knee, you can supposedly see the mark where the artist banged his hammer in frustration when he didn't.

The Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli is open from 8:00AM - 12:30PM and 3:00PM - 6:00PM every day.

Entrance is free.

The Risen Christ - Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva

Commissioned to sculpt a naked Christ by Roman Patrician Metello Vari, Michelangelo abandoned his first attempt at the Risen Christ after discovering a flaw in the marble.

He then made a second version in 1519–1521.

While an awkward loincloth was a later addition to protect Christ's modesty, the artist's contemporaries loved this piece.

Painter Sebastiano del Piombo supposedly said that Christ's knees were worth more than Rome put together!

You can find the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva near the Pantheon and I always make a point to go inside when I pass by.

The church is open 11:00AM - 1:00PM and 3:00PM - 7:00PM every day and is free to visit.

Michelangelo's architectural work

Michelangelo started his architectural career in Florence under Pope Leo X.

It wasn't long before he was commissioned as an architect in Rome to work on piazzas, basilicas, and palaces!

Piazza del Campidoglio

Embarrassed by the thought of Emperor Charles V visiting the muddy Piazza del Campidoglio, Pope Paul III quickly hired Michelangelo to redesign the rundown space.

It sits on top of Capitoline Hill, one of Rome's Seven Hills, and offers beautiful views over the Roman Forum.

Michelangelo designed a trapezoid-shaped Piazza del Campidoglio to frame a bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius in the center.

Even the pavement is striking with its contrasting geometric pattern and Michelangelo also designed the grand Cordonata ramp staircase.

Piazza del Campidoglio is flanked on either side by the Palace of the Conservators and Palazzo Nuovo, building the latter to be completely symmetrical to the original palace.

Today, they are the Capitoline Museums which are well worth visiting!

Piazza del Campidoglio can be found on top of Capitoline Hill.

It's around the corner from the Monument to Victor Emmanuel II and many buses stop nearby.

The Colosseo metro station is the nearest one, about 10 minutes walk from the Capitoline.

The piazza itself is free and open 24/7.

Check out our Capitoline Museums guide for more information on how to visit inside!

Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri

One of Michelangelo's lesser-known masterpieces, he designed the Basilica of Santa Maria of the Angels and Martyrs in 1559.

Or the Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, to use its full Italian name.

It was built on the site of the ancient Baths of Diocletian, large imperial baths whose ruins still stand today.

He incorporated the remaining walls of one part of the sprawling baths into the design of the basilica.

The basilica is located on Piazza della Repubblica with a metro stop on the other side of the piazza.

It's open from 8:00AM - 1:00PM and 4:00PM - 7:00PM every day except Saturday and Sunday.

On these days, the Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri opens two hours later.

It's always free to visit.

He also designed a cloister in another part of the ancient bath complex.

You can see this if you visit the Baths of Diocletian, which I highly recommend.

The baths are around the corner from the Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, and is a favorite spot of mine to visit as it's rarely busy!

The museum is open 9:30AM - 7:00PM Tuesday to Sunday.

Palazzo Farnese

Commissioned by Alessandro Farnese and the future Pope Paul III, Palazzo Farnese was one of the most important High Renaissance palaces.

It was originally designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger.

When he died in 1546, Michelangelo took over the project.

He completely redesigned the courtyard and revised the third story by adding a deep cornice to the roof.

Another addition was the architrave, a papal balcony, as Pope Paul III received his title during its build.

Find it in Piazza Farnese, close to Campo di Fiori.

While the piazza is open 24/7 to see the outside, the palazzo is now the French embassy.

You can only visit on pre-booked, guided tours which run at limited times, so definitely book well in advance if you would like to see inside. 

Other architectural work by Michelangelo in Rome

Porta Pia was one of the last works Michelangelo completed before his death.

It was built between 1561 and 1564.

Famously, it's the last gate that the Italian Army breached in 1870 to conquer Rome and make it part of the Kingdom of Italy.

Pope Pius IV commissioned the 'improvement' to one of the original Aurelian Gates and named it after himself.

Michelangelo was one of two architects who worked on the Sforza Chapel in Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in the mid-1500's.

Sometime between 1513 and 1521, he also designed an aedicula (small shrine) in the Chapel of Leo X in Castel Sant'Angelo.

Other places to see Michelangelo's work

Michelangelo's art and architecture might be concentrated in Rome and Florence, but he left his mark all over Italy.

You can discover famous works by this Renaissance artist in Bologna, Venice, Siena, and Milan too.

Michelangelo in Florence

Naturally, Michelangelo's 17 ft/5.17 m-tall statue of David is a must-see.

Find it in the Accademia Gallery, along with four more of his pieces.

One of his earliest major works, Michelangelo crafted a Crucifix in 1493 from polychrome wood which is on display in the Santo Spirito church.

The Uffizi Gallery is Florence's main art gallery so it would be wrong if Michelangelo's art wasn't featured!

Find the Tondo Doni, an oil painting he created in 1503-1506.

You can also find his work in the Bargello Museum, Casa Buonarroti, and the Medici Chapel.

Other Italian locations

Michelangelo spent around a year in Bologna when he was nineteen.

He made three marble statuettes on The Ark of St Dominic in Basilica San Domenico in 1494-1495.

He also carved four marble statues of saints for Siena Cathedral in 1503-1504, although they're much bigger!

Check out St Peter, St Paul, St Gregory, and St Pius inside.

Head to Sforza Castle in Milan to see Rondanini Pietà, a sculpture he worked on during the last days of his life in 1564.