THE HERMITAGE MUSEUM, ST PETERSBURG

The Hermitage is one of the best museums not only in Russia, but in the whole world. The State Hermitage Museum has entertained visitors for more than two centuries. Its history goes back to 1764, when the Small Hermitage was built to house Catherine II's art collection.

Today the Hermitage Museum is housed in five buildings, among which the Winter Palace occupies the most important place. The Palace, created by famous architect F.-B. Rastrelli in 1754-1762, was a residence of Russian emperors till 1917. Then the building was given to the Hermitage.

The Hermitage's finest art collections present the development of world culture from the ancient times to our century. There are more than three million pieces of artwork in the Museum. Works of such geniuses as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian and others are presented in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

The permanent collections of the Museum include paintings by outstanding artists from France, Italy, England, Holland, Spain, Flanders, Germany and other European countries, pieces of Ancient Greece and Rome, oriental arts, numismatic works, traditional Russian art and much more.