Vatican restores 371 square meters of Clementine Chapel dome

The Vatican Mosaic Studio has restored 371 square meters of mosaic and stucco decoration on the dome of the Clementine Chapel in St. Peter's Basilica. The project, which addressed decorations originally created between 1601 and 1604, involved removing dirt and salt deposits to restore the original gold luster and color clarity.

The restoration work provided specialists with new insights into the techniques used by early 17th-century mosaicists. According to TK KBS, the close examination allowed experts to observe details that are nearly invisible to the naked eye from the basilica floor. These findings include observations of millimeter-sized tesserae and the possibility that certain figures were composed on easels.