The Hermitage

The "Winter Palace" of the Tsars expanded over the years since construction began under Peter the Great in the 18th Century. It was Catherine the Great who began to accumulate the vast collection of original paintings from famous artists that led to the Hermitage Museum becoming the world's #1 treasure-house of priceless art.



For years we had dreamed of walking through the Hermitage, and I had especially wanted to stand in front of Rembrandt's famous work, "The Return of the Prodigal." The Hermitage was overwhelming in many ways, including the sheer size of the building and the thousands of works of art that are now part of the collection. We spent lots of time in rooms that displayed the works of the Dutch masters, but also took the stairs to the 3rd floor where the French impressionists were displayed. There was way too much to see even if we'd spent the entire day, but the experience was well worth it.

One amazing thing, of course, about the Hermitage was the opulence of the building -- hallways with ceilings that looked like the Sistine Chapel and Greek and Roman-looking statuary throughout. Again, it was a bit overwhelming! Nancy is pictured in another of the long hallways. - rw