Walking from our St Petersburg hotel alongside the Moyka River, we soon come upon the broad entrance to the Palace Square. Directly ahead and towering over the centre of the square (actually an irregular shape) is Alexander’s Column. To the left, a long curved neo-classical facade greets us, but to the right is the distinctive blue and white facade of The Winter Palace, home of The Hermitage Museum. We really have arrived!
Palace Square
Alexander’s Column
The Winter Palace
Our tickets were prepaid, so we are able to bypass the queue. On this day, the queue is around ten minutes, but we can see how it is sometimes up to an hour. After collecting our audio guides, we head for the Grand Staircase. So does everyone else! Everyone wants photos. Everyone tries for the best angle.
Heading towards the Grand Staircase
Passage, looking back from Grand Staircase
Grand Staircase, L’Hermitage Museum
Grand Staircase
Grand Staircase
Grand Staircase
Balcony, Grand Staircase
Ceiling, Grand Staircase
The audio guide is excellent. The first number pressed gives a ‘how to’ and a description of the Grand Staircase follows. After that, it is just a matter of selecting the number corresponding to the room or artwork for which a description is needed.
In a future article, we will share some art that caught our eyes. Perhaps even a comment or two. For now, join us on a walk, in no particular order, through some of the passageways and rooms in this magnificent museum. By the way, don’t ever forget to look up towards the ceiling!
The Hermitage Ceilings
The Hermitage – an Avenue of Doorways
The Hermitage
The Hermitage- Cafe and Internet
The Hermitage Collection
The Hermitage Collection
The Hermitage Collection
The Hermitage
The Hermitage
Majolica Room
The Hermitage
Raphael Loggias
Raphael Loggias Ceilings
The State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great, and has been open to the public since 1852. It is said that “if you stand in front of every piece of art in the collection for half a minute, you will be there for over eight years”. Clearly this refers to the entire collection of over 3 million items, much of which is in storage and not on permanent show.
Of six buildings of the main museum complex, five, named the Winter Palace, Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage, New Hermitage and Hermitage Theatre, are open to the public. The entrance ticket for foreign tourists costs more than the fee paid by citizens of Russia and Belarus. However, entrance is free of charge the first Thursday of every month for all visitors, and free daily for students and children. The museum is closed on Mondays.
