Hi guys, today is about a trip to St. Petersburg (another post about it will follow the days).
The Eremitage
But today it's mainly about the Eremitage in St. Petersburg. It is one of the most famous and important art museums in the world. It all started with Catherine the Great: She developed her own art collection there.This is because Tsarina Catherine the Great was a passionate art collector. The very first paintings came to the Small eremitage. It was not long before there were more and more pictures, and not only that: sculptures and even books were added.
The art collection is huge: it offers 60,000 exhibits in 350 halls. In addition, there are several million more exhibits in the archive. It has also been a world cultural heritage site since 1990.
The huge building consists of several sections: the Small Hermitage, the Old and the New eremitage, the Eremitage Theater and the Winter Palace. The Russian tsars used to live in this palace.
The rectangular Winter Palace, which you can see in the pictures, is decorated with statues. These are over three meters high. However, the facade of the palace is particularly striking. It differs on each side of the palace. The rows of windows also differ.
Then there is the Eremitage Theater. It used to be a private theater for the tsar's family and even the very first theater of St. Petersburg. Today it is more of a building for the authorities and not open to the public, yet part of the theater is still there just the same.
The last building to be built was the New Eremitage. It has become especially famous for its Atlas figures. These are on the facade.
Some very great artists are represented in the Eremitage: Among them are, for example, Leonardo da Vinci and Pablo Picasso.
Not only paintings are here : Above all, pieces from prehistoric to modern times can be found here.
Small tip: To really take a closer look at all the works of art and not just "walk by", you need more than one day. But maybe you can also just look a bit what you like better. And so you can visit the magnificent palace: For groups, the entrance is on Palace Square, while the entrance for individuals is on the banks of the Neva River. A visit to the palace I can recommend you in any case, it is almost a duty to stop by here if you are once in St. Petersburg.
The Peter and Paul Cathedral
The second sight I wanted to share with you is the Peter and Paul Cathedral. It is the oldest cathedral in the city. It stands on the Peter and Paul Fortress and on a bunny island.
What I found quite beautiful about it is that it has a Dutch early Baroque style (I am somewhat interested in architecture). Its long golden spire is particularly striking.
For some time, Peter and Paul Cathedral was among the tallest buildings in the city. The bell tower is more than 100 meters.
In addition, there is a flying angel with a cross in his hand.
Originally, on the site of the cathedral, which had just been recaptured from the Swedes, it was not intended to build a city, but simply a fortress to secure the northern border of Russia. However, the fortress was then used as a prison, which earned the fortress the nickname "the Russian Bastille".
In the cathedral is the tomb of Tsar Peter the Great. The Peter and Paul Fortress is located in the center of St.Petersburg on an island, just opposite the Hermitage. Also like the Eremitage, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Russia.
What is quite interesting: The Peter and Paul Fortress is even depicted on the 50 ruble bill.
I hope you enjoyed my Post! Please give me your feedback or leave a like or a comment there :) See you next time!!