Tomb of Pope Julius II Tomb

Address: Piazza di San Pietro in Vincoli, 4/a, 00184 Roma RM, Italy

Admission: Free (located inside the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli)

The Tomb of Pope Julius II is a funerary monument located in the church of San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome and is most famous for Michelangelo’s statue of Moses. The project was commissioned by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century and underwent major reductions from its original plan.

The main draw is Michelangelo’s sculpted Moses, which sits in a wall tomb ensemble inside the church and attracts visitors interested in High Renaissance sculpture. The finished tomb is a comparatively compact wall monument that retains a few additional sculpted figures and architectural elements from Michelangelo’s long-running commission.

Pope Julius II commissioned the tomb in 1505 and Michelangelo worked on it in several phases, with changing designs and substantial reductions imposed over years of interruptions and other papal commissions. The current installation in San Pietro in Vincoli reflects the final, scaled-back outcome of that prolonged project.

The tomb is installed in San Pietro in Vincoli, a basilica on Rome’s Esquiline Hill, close to the central historic area of the city.

• Long-term commission: Michelangelo received the commission in 1505 and worked intermittently on the project for decades; the final monument is a reduced version of the original design.

What to See#

• Moses statue: Michelangelo’s marble statue of Moses, carved as the centerpiece of the tomb project and now placed in a niche in the church; it is the principal artistic attraction for visitors.
• Tomb recess: The tomb recess and associated sculptural figures, which represent the reduced final form of a monument that was originally planned on a much larger scale in the early 16th century.

The Tomb of Pope Julius II is inside the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli in central Rome (Piazza San Pietro in Vincoli). From Roma Termini station it is an easy 10-15 minute walk southwest along Via Cavour (about 700-900 m). By metro, take Line B to Cavour or Colosseo stations and walk roughly 8-12 minutes to the piazza; the church sits on/just off Via Cavour and Via dello Statuto.

• Enter via the Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli (the church entrance) and head straight to the right transept early in the morning when the church is quiet to get a close look at Michelangelo's Moses and the surrounding sculptural groups before tour groups arrive.
• Check the church service schedule before you go - Masses and funerals can temporarily restrict access to the tomb area, so planning around religious services avoids disappointment.
• Take time to study the unfinished figures on and around the tomb (the so‑called Prisoners/Slaves); many visitors focus only on Moses and miss these important details that reveal Michelangelo's working process.