Sistine Chapel Tourists Will Have To Pass Through a Vacuum Cleaner Before Entering

Those who want to check out the exquisite Sistine Chapel in Vatican City will have to go through a thorough cleaning before they can view the artwork of the chapel. Visitors will soon have to pass through a high tech vacuum cleaner before entering.

This new cleaning system is being implemented to keep dust, fibers, powder, hair and sweat away from the 500 year old paintings, according to the Daily Mail.

Vatican Museum officials believe this vacuum will help prevent damage to the artwork by making sure that the four-million tourists that pass through each year are not dragging extra dirt and dust with them.

"The vacuum cleaner will guarantee that all visitors will be clean of dust and other fibres and it will also take away excessive moisture such as sweat. It would involve a system along the last 100 meters before entering the Sistine Chapel which would suck up dust and other debris from people's shoes," Antonio Paolucci, the director of the Vatican Museum said, according to the Daily Mail.

"At the same time side vents would also draw in dust from clothes and also excessive humidity and dampness from people, in other words sweat, to keep them cool because all these factors combined can combine to damage the frescoes. They are the biggest enemies of works of art," Paolucci continued.

While it may sound a bit extensive, there is evidence that dust and other materials that people drag in has built up within the chapel. Two years ago, the Sistine Chapel underwent a month long night time clean up project. During this cleanup, over 15 pounds of dust, hair, fibers and other dirt was removed.

There are funds available to get this system going and Paolucci hopes it will be in place some time next year.

The Sistine Chapel is just one of the many wonders of Italy. It is home to the works of Michelangelo, Raphael, Bernini and Sandro Botticelli. The most famous is Michelangelo's Last Judgement which covers the ceiling of the chapel.

It takes hours to see all of the work within the chapel. A climate control system was set in place in 1990 but being that it was 20 years ago, it's in need of an update.