The State Hermitage

In 1764, Russian Empress Catherine the Great purchased a considerable collection of West European paintings, laying the foundation for the modern-day Hermitage. Today Hermitage Museum is one of the largest museums in the world. The State Hermitage occupies six magnificent buildings situated along the embankment of the River Neva, right in the heart of St Petersburg. The leading role in this unique architectural ensemble belongs to the Winter Palace, the residence of the Russian tsars that was built to the design of Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli in 1754-62. This ensemble, formed in the 18th and 19th centuries, is extended by the eastern wing of the General Staff building, the Menshikov Palace and the recently constructed Repository.

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