I was so excited to arrive in St Petersburg, and spent a lot of time in the Hermitage!
I’ve arrived! (Train station)
Synagogue
Synagogue close-up
A Mariinskii theater bill
The world famous Mariinskii
Balletomanes, be envious!
Down the street from the Mariinskii
St Isaac’s gold dome
Locks by a canal
The Neva river
A first view of the Bronze Horseman of Pushkin fame
The Admiralty
The Bronze Horseman in front of a museum
View over the Neva
Another Neva view
St Petersburg’s mighty river
First view of the Hermitage
Rostral columns in front of the Stock Exchange
Column close-up
Another view of the Hermitage
In front of the Winter Palace (which was at my back left)
Triumphal Arch
Looking back to the Winter Palace
Kazan Cathedral
Kazan Cathedral
Kazan Cathedral close-up
A bridge in St Petersburg
Walking by the canals
Another interesting bridge
Gold and pastel colors, the colors of St Petersburg’s historic district
Close-up of the Hermitage gates
The Hermitage
The Hermitage
The Hermitage
Details of the Hermitage exterior
The grand entry staircase (Hermitage)
Ceiling above the grand staircase
A peek outside
Malachite Room (Hermitage)
Malachite Room
Nicholas II’s library
Nicholas II’s library
Another Hermitage courtyard
The small throne room
Small throne room
Wall of Napoleonic era nobles
View of the gallery
And a view of the ceiling details
Gorgeous chandeliers…
The large throne room – the tourists show the scale
My favorite room: chandelier
Moorish influence
White and gilt
Frescos in the Hermitage
The Rafaello gallery
Kitty basking in the sun
The Rafaello gallery
Another gallery
Arms and armor
Graceful neo-classicism
Palace Square and the Alexander Column
A coach and four…er, one
Looking at the different wings: Winter Palace, New Hermitage, Old Hermitage
The Admiralty
See the scaly tails hold up the flag!
The Bronze Horseman in different lighting!
What can I say? Bronze Horseman + St Isaac’s = good shot
My favorite room on my second trip to the Hermitage
trails untrod 