A look at the history of the Sistine Chapel, the site of the papal conclave

As the papal conclave is set to begin to elect a new pope, the eyes of the world are on the Sistine Chapel, which will hold the Catholic cardinals as they cast their votes for the next leader of the Church.

The renowned Sistine Chapel is a chapel within the Apostolic Palace, which is the pope's official residence in Vatican City. Although, it was not always known by that name.

Here is a look at the history of this historic religious site.

The beginning

The project of the Sistine Chapel began in 1473, when a previous building on the site was destroyed, but the wall base and asymmetrical plan of the building remained as it was, .

While the project began in 1473, the official construction did not begin until 1477 -- lasting four years.

Who is the Sistine Chapel named after?

The Sistine Chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere (who served from 1471 to 1484). He was the pope who had the old Cappella Magna, the previous chapel that sat on the site, restored between 1477 and 1480, according to the Musei Vaticani,

When did Michelangelo finish his Sistine Chapel painting?

The Sistine Chapel is also known for housing artistic masterpieces courtesy of various artists who painted breathtaking frescoes that adorn its interior.

The first interior decorations date back to 1481. According to the official site, Pietro Perugino -- a well-known artist of the time and mentor to another well-known artist, Rafael -- was the first to paint frescoes. Frescoes by respected and other renowned Renaissance artists followed and adorn the chapel: Domenico Ghirlandaio, Sandro Botticelli and Cosimo Rosselli who collaborated with other artists already present in Rome including Pinturicchio, Bartolomeo della Gatta and Piero di Cosimo.

However, as impressive as all the frescoes are, one seems to stand above all the rest. To decorate the chapel's ceiling, Michelangelo Buonarroti was the man for the job, being tapped by Pope Julius II (who was Sixtus IV nephew and pope from 1503 to 1531) to do so. Pope Julius II decided to partly alter the decoration (the ceiling previously had a starry sky painted by Pier Matteo d'Amelia.

He ended up finishing his masterpiece of painting the ceilings and vaults in only four years, finishing in 1512, according to the Musei Vaticani.

How long has the Sistine Chapel been used as the papal conclave?

The Sistine Chapel was used for the ceremonies of the papal court. Only the most important figures of Vatican City were allowed to participate in these ceremonies.

Times have changed since then.

The Sistine Chapel serves as the seat of the papal conclave since 1878 and has become a popular site for tourists, welcoming millions of visitors every year.