The Gosudarstvennyj Èrmitaž or Hermitage Museum, that vast collection of Russian and human art and artefacts, has swollen to fill six buildings, the largest and most appropriate being St. Petersburg’s Winter Palace, once home of the Tzars. This magnificent Baroque building and its contents fit well into the collection began in the mid 18th century by Catherine the Great. Starting with an incredible collection of paintings, predominantly from the Old and Dutch Masters, the catalogue grew to engulf the best private collections put up for sale, and expanded from just art into artefacts, relics and gold - including important pieces from Classical cultures from Greece, Rome and Eqypt and a huge collection of ancient gold.

It was Nicholas I who ordered the ordering and opening of the Hermitage to the public. In 1852 the first building was the first purpose built gallery in Eastern Europe. The Revolution nationalised the museum property further and 'absorbed' up the personal collections of the Tzars, including work collected by Catherine’s forebear, Peter the Great and other wealthy families long associated with Russian rulers which bolstered up the collection with those of the Catherine and Alexander Palaces, known for their Old Masters and modern works by Picasso, Matisse and Van Gogh.

With more than three million items and having expanded over six buildings and in other pockets around the world, the Hermitage Collection is best known for it’s Russian regalia and Faberge collections as well as excellent collections of the works of Gaugin, Monet, Rodin, Renior, da Vinci, Rembrant, Michelangelo and Rubens. It also has collections from pre-history and the east, strong in Siberian and Central Asian Art.

If you’re unable to make the excursion to Russia you can go via proxy by watching the excellent film, Russian Ark. You will get to see 33 of The Hermitage’s rooms and wander the corridors filled with actors reconstructing periods in Russia’s illustrious past.

Written by  Arnesta Szarkor.

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Comments, reviews and questions

Thank you for your review! It is exellent! I would like to add some picture of Hermitage to your description. http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/80/

 

Comment posted 27th May 2009 by Stevia.

1 reply...

Hi Stevia - We'd love you to add your images, if you click on the 'Add Photo' text (in blue) you can load images directly onto World Reviewer and they'll be credited to you as well.

Thanks!

 

Reply posted 27th May 2009 by World Reviewer Staff.

Undoubtedly one of the best museum experiences in the world

Put our of your mind the fact that many of these treasures were taken from the Germans who took them from other European powers in WWII. Neither is this the time to think about social equality, starving peasants in frozen wastelands and the lucky sperm club. This is the most magnificent palace in a one-time leading European capital. The splendour and variety of the rooms is breathtaking. You could easily go round without looking at the contents and be extremely impressed. Now add in room after room of magnificent art treasures, all well hung, and you cannot fail to be impressed.

 

Review posted 2nd June 2008 by Jimba.

Hermitage Museum

The State Hermitage occupies six magnificent buildings in St Petersburg, the most famous of which is the Winter Palace. This is a collection for superlatives ' two and a half centuries' worth of art, one of the world's finest and most valuable collections, comprising some 3 million items, including more French artworks than anywhere outside France. Daunting but magnificent.

 

Review posted 27th April 2007 by amoore.

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