Which fresco occupies the central position on the Sistine Chapel’s north wall?

The Delivery of the Keys occupies the central position on the Sistine Chapel’s north wall. Pietro Perugino painted the fresco around 1481–1482 as the principal scene in the wall’s cycle devoted to the life of Christ.

The composition shows Christ handing keys to Saint Peter in a spacious Renaissance piazza. The keys symbolize Peter’s authority, and the scene carried particular significance in the papal chapel because the pope was regarded as Peter’s successor.

The fresco is positioned opposite a major scene from the Moses cycle, creating a deliberate parallel between the Old Testament lawgiver and the New Testament apostle. This arrangement was part of the chapel’s carefully planned theological program.

The work is often called Christ Giving the Keys to Saint Peter in English, while The Delivery of the Keys is also a standard title. Both names identify the same fresco; the shorter title is used here as the canonical answer.