🇷🇺 The Winter Palace/Hermitage: Endless and Endless

Last month I visited Russia and I was in the grand imperial city of Saint Petersburg. At the heart of Saint Petersburg stood the Winter Palace, built in the 18th century and it served as the imperial residence of the Romanov dynasty for over 150 years. Inside is the Hermitage Museum, established by Catherine the Great and it contains art and collections from all over the world. It is one of the largest palaces in the world, and to see everything in the Hermitage properly would actually take you 11 years. It is highly recommended that you purchase a ticket online before going as the queues are normally significant especially on weekends. Inside the Hermitage the highlights of the palace complex are the Jordan Staircase, the Throne Room and the 1812 Gallery which are unmissable and you must take some nice photos there. As for the collections, there are really a lot so you got to prioritise which ones to explore as you likely only have a few hours there. For me I focused largely on the Russian element as well as the rare collections from Central Asia, Mongolia, the Caucasus and the Silk Road as those are not commonly found in Western art museums and more specific to Russia due to the historical links to the former empire. Regardless of how you choose to explore the Winter Palace, a trip here is a must once in your lifetime! #russia #russia_pics #saintpetersburg #winterpalace #hermitage #hermitagemuseum