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Vatican Restores Michelangelo's Last Judgment After 30 Years

2/28/2026

Summary

Story summary

Vatican City is restoring Michelangelo's The Last Judgment to remove a damaging salt film, the first restoration in 30 years.
The restoration uses Japanese rice paper and distilled water.
Access is limited because the fresco's location behind the altar requires fixed scaffolding.
Daily visitor humidity contributes to salt buildup, prompting the Vatican to explore filtration systems to mitigate future damage.
Visitors can view a reproduction of the fresco during restoration.

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Story summary

Vatican City is restoring Michelangelo's The Last Judgment to remove a damaging salt film, the first restoration in 30 years.
The restoration uses Japanese rice paper and distilled water.
Access is limited because the fresco's location behind the altar requires fixed scaffolding.
Daily visitor humidity contributes to salt buildup, prompting the Vatican to explore filtration systems to mitigate future damage.
Visitors can view a reproduction of the fresco during restoration.