Page 17 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - St. Petersburg

The Hermitage ❮❮ 15

THE HERMITAGE
UNDER SIEGE
The Hermitage came
under frequent attack
during the World War II
siege (see p38). The Nazis
pledged to “completely
destroy Leningrad” (as
St Petersburg was then
known), and the
Hermitage soon became
Winter Palace
Alexander
6 8 a symbol of the city’s
resistance. Although
Column
State Rooms
These rooms (above) This column is the world’s many museum workers
died of starvation, and
were designed for lar gest freestan ding snow piled up inside its
state ceremo nies. The mon ument. Dedi cated halls, the Hermitage
St George Hall is used to Alexander I, it was continued to support
for state meetings today. erected in 1834. the city’s cultural life.
The Old
0
Hermitage
Designed by Yuriy Velten,
the Old Hermitage was
built between 1771 and
17 87 to house Catherine
the Great’s collection of
paintings. It was opened
as a public museum by
Nicholas I in 1852.
The Hermitage Floorplan
4 9 3
Pavilion Hall
The New
7 9
Hermitage
A gold and white
hall with marble columns The New Hermitage 1
and crys tal chan deliers. was specifi cally 8
It houses James Cox’s designed as a museum
Peacock Clock, once because of Nicholas I’s 5 6
owned by Prince Grigory desire to make the 2
Potemkin, Catherine the exhi bits more acces sible 7
Great’s secret husband. to the public. 0
NEED TO KNOW • For a breathtaking view • As a visit to the
MAP L2 • Dvortsovaya of the Hermitage, step off Hermitage can easily take
pl. 2 • 710 9079 • www. Nevskiy prospekt and, up an entire day, it is a
hermitagemuseum.org sticking to the left-hand very good idea to have
side, follow Bolshaya lunch on the premises,
Open 10:30am–6pm Tue– Morskaya ulitsa to its very
Sun (to 9pm Wed & Fri) end – as the street bends making use of the café
Adm: adults ₽600; round to the arch of the on the ground floor.
children and students General Staff Building, • Art enthusiasts should
free; free to all on 1st Thu the Hermitage is revealed consider a 2-day
of the month in all its glory. ticket for ₽1000.

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