Of all the buildings situated within Vatican City, few hold as much significance as the Sistine Chapel. It is the pope’sprivate chapel and the site of papalceremonies. It also acts as the election headquarters whenever a new pope is being selected. An architect by the name of Giovanni dei Dolci toiled away for eight years from 1473 to 1481 to have the building for Pope Sixtus IV erected. The structure contains an incredible amount of Renaissance artwork, including frescoesby Michelangelo. Given the significance of such a place, the key to the Sistine Chapel is closely guarded. One man alone bears this immense responsibility, the clavigero or “key-keeper.”
Gianni Crea is the chief key-keeper of the Vatican Museums and carries the weight of 2,797 keys on his shoulders—well, mostly on his wrist. Before dawn—at 5:00 a.m. to be precise—Gianni begins his day by going into the “bunker” where the keys are kept overnight in wall safes. As he walks the seven kilometers of his route through the museums, the mass of metal keys danglesand janglesfrom the giant key rings he carries on his wrist. He unlocks the doors, one by one, turning on all the lights along the way. The last door he opens on his journey is a tiny wooden one leading to the Sistine Chapel’s inner sanctum.
The silvery-brasskey to the Sistine Chapel is not kept on the key ring with the others but in a white envelope. It also comes with rigorous protocol. After the chapel is shuttered for the day, the key is put in a fresh white envelope, sealed, stamped, and placed back in its corresponding wall safe. A thick registrybook is used to maintain meticulous records of all of its movements. Gianni discharges his duty with pride and has done so for the last 23 years.
