bonnyracca.typepad.com > The Hermitage

Looking across the street to the Winter Palace from the Admiralty Gardens.
View to the main entrance from Palace Square.
The Inner Courtyard. Still emerging from winter.
Landing of the main staircase.
The Red Room. These brocades replace the original tapestries of the same design.
The Small Throne Room.
One of many grand rooms in the Palace. Gold leaf and white plaster is used everywhere!
The Grand Throne Room.
Inlaid floor of exotic woods. Each room had a different design.
Chandelier in Grand Throne Room.
Altarpiece from the Medieval Ages.
One of many vaulted ceilings.
Glittering opulence of the Audience Hall.
The Audience Hall.
An ornate mechanical clock.
Urn covered in Malachite mosaic pieces and polished to look solid.
The Nativity Story in precious porcelaine.
Raphael Loggia, canvases copied in 1787 from the Vatican.
The Cameo Room. Cases with precious cameos.
These are canvases on display.
The Crouching Boy, the only piece by Michaelangelo.
Gallery in Large Hermitage , built for Catherine's paintings.
Gold Leaf ceiling.
Meisen Porcelaine candelabra.
The Red Bouduoir.
The Hall of Tapestries.