Visitors to London’s Greenwich have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the magnificent Painted Hall’s ceiling, known as Britain’s Sistine Chapel, up close
An innovative project in London‘s Greenwich will allow visitors to view a Baroque masterpiece known as Britain’s Sistine Chapel up close while important restoration work takes place.
WATCH VIDEO of the Painted Hall Ceiling Tours
The Painted Hall in the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, is a Baroque dining hall designed by Sir Christopher Wren, with its ceiling painted by Sir James Thornhill between 1707 and 1726.
The ceiling of what was then the Royal Hospital for Seamen in Greenwich, catapulted Thornhill to fame leading to further commissions, including the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral and the Great Hall at Blenheim Palace.
A celebration of British marine power, the paintings include over 200 historical, allegorical and mythical figures, including the founders of the hospital, King William III and Queen Mary II, the sovereigns in the ‘Glorious Revolution’.
During the Painted Hall Ceiling Tours, visitors will ascend onto a special observation deck to view the masterpiece while crucial restoration work takes place.
The daily tours will run for the duration of the two-year conservation project, and
will see 40,000 square feet of the ceiling’s surface revived after years of decay.
Book a Painted Hall ceiling tour.
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