Page 98 - DK Eyewitness Travel Guides - The World's Must-See Places

The Winter Palace, St. Petersburg
96 EUROPE

This superb example of Baroque architecture (Baroque Style,
see p.80) was the home of the Russian czars and czarinas,
including Catherine the Great, from the late 18th century.
Built for Czarina Elizabeth (r. 17 41-62), the opulent Winter
Palace was the finest achievement of Italian architect
Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Though the exterior has changed little,
the interiors were subsequently altered by a number of
architects and then largely restored after a fire gutted the
palace in 1837. After the assassination of Alexander II in
1881, the imperial family rarely lived here. In July 1917, the
Bartolomeo Rastrelli,
Provisional Government took the palace as its headquarters,
THE SMALL AND LARGE HERMITAGE <ourtar<hite<t until1763
Catherine the Great hired architect Yuriy Velten which led to its storming by the Bolsheviks.
to erect the Small Hermitage so she could Armorial Hall
With its huge gilded columns, this
privately entertain her chosen friends at court.
1&12 Gallery vast chamber covers more than
The building was designed in Baroque style
Built in 1826, this has portraits 8,600 sq ft (800 sq m) It houses
with Classical features to blend in with of Russian military heroes of the the European silver collection and
Rastrelli' s Baroque Winter Pal ace. After the Napoleonic Wars, most by English a restored imperial carriage.
Small Hermitage was completed, Catherine artist George Dawe.
decided to house her newly acquired collection Hall of St. George
of more than 2 55 paintings in the building. The Monolithic columns and
wall facings of Italian
Large Hermitage was built a few years later to
Carrara marble are
accommodate the tsarina's vast library and features of this room.
works of art Over the centuries, Catherine's
original coli ection has been added to. There are
now more than 3 million pieces of art displayed ~ Small Throne
Room
in the Small and Large Hermitage, as well as
in an ensemble of buildings that includes the
Winter Palace. There are exhibits from the
Stone Age up to the 20th century, including
works by Matisse, Rembrandt, and cezanne.

BARTOLOMEO RASTRELLI
The Italian architect Rastrelli (1700--71) studied
under his father and assisted him during his
appointment as architect for Czar Peter I. In
1722, Rastrelli took on his own commissions in
Moscow and St. Petersburg, which established
To Large Hermitage
him as a brilliant Baroque architect. During
Elizabeth's reign, he was appointed Chief Field Marshals' Hall
Court Architect and went on to design several The devastating fire of
buildings, i ncl udi ng the grandiose Winter 1837 broke out in this
Palace. When Catherine the Great ascended reception room.
the throne, Rastrelli retired from court as the
empress preferred a stricter, Classical style.
~ Jordan Stair<ase
This vast, sweeping staircase (1762)
CATHERINE II was Rastrelli's masterpiece.lt was from Ni<holas Hall
Czarina Elizabeth chose the German-born here that the imperial family watched The largest room in the
princess Catherine ( 172 9-96), the future the Epiphany ceremony of baptism palace, this was always
in the Neva, which celebrated Christ's used for the first ball of
Catherine the Great, as a wife for her successor, baptism in the Jordan River. the season.
Peter Ill. When he ascended the throne in 1762, North fa~de
overlooking the
Catherine had resided in Russia for 18 years
River Neva
and had fully immersed herself in Russian
culture. Six months into Peter's reign, Catherine
KEY DATES
and her allies at the imperial guard had the czar
ki lied. She was then crowned ruler of Russia in 1754-62 1764-75 1771-87 1917 1990
1763. During her reign she implemented many
The Winter Palace is The Small Hermitage catherine's art collection Anatoly Lunacharsky of The city of St. Petersburg,
reforms and expanded Russian territory. Art and constructed by by Yuriy 'kken is built grOINS and a second the Soviet Government including the Winter
trade flourished and new academies were built, Bartobmeo Rastrelli. for catherine II'S art extension, the Large declares the Winter Palace and Hermitage,
collection. Herm~age, also by Yuriy Palace and the Herm~age is declared a UNESCO
including the Russi an Academy of Sciences and 'klten, is added. state museums. World Heritage S~e.
the Academy of Fine Art