Decadence at the Hermitage in St Petersburg
Written by Amanda Kendle
I know some people aren’t really into visiting art galleries when they travel, but I have to say that everyone should make an exception for The Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. It’s not only a Russian icon but it’s also a truly breathtaking place to stroll around – whether art interests you or not, even just the buildings that house all the art are fascinating.
Okay, enough of the lyrical adjectives, this is the plain truth: the Hermitage is stuffed full of paintings, sculptures and other works of art and every guide book likes to cite some statistic on how many lifetimes you would need if you wanted to look at the entire collection (there’s a lot more that’s not on display). Whichever period of the history of art you’re attracted to, there’s some representative of it there.
Being this incredible means that every man and his dog wants to visit the Hermitage, so you have to plan your visit well to avoid either paying too much or seeing too little. I’ve been twice and both times have got there early in the morning, about half an hour or so before it opens, and as long as you have a book to read in the queue or a snack to keep you busy, it’s quite tolerable. As for buying tickets, there are several ways to go and they change regularly. At the moment you can buy tickets online for US$17.95, which seems reasonable although locals get in much, much cheaper; having tickets in advance at least means less queuing.
Last time I was there a tour guide was walking up and down the queue giving people the tip that if they were in the first hundred or so people they could pay for the special Jewellery tour and general admission was included – yet weirdly, this made it cheaper. We took her advice and got to see some of the more secret stash of jewels as well as get in cheaper. So keep your ear to the ground if you’re on a tight budget.
I recently visited the Hermitage during a two-day visit for a conference. I loved this place – in parts the Palace itself overshadowed the works of art.
My favourite painting was by Constant Troyon; called On the Way to Market. You can feel the chilly early morning with the steamy breath of the animals, and the sun shining through the translucent sheep’s ears. See it here: http://tiny.cc/MeS3D
Read more about my memorabletrip on my blog. http://paulrevel.wordpress.com/
I visited the Hermitage in 1987 — back when Russia was the USSR and St. Petersburg was Leningrad. The museum was deserted back then. The windows were flung wide open, and I had the entire museum to myself. I was 15 and the experience floored me. I am so glad to hear that more people have discovered the treasures that so amazed me.
PS: Have you read The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean? I highly recommend it. It’s a beautiful look at the heroism of those working at the museum during the siege of Leningrad.
Paul, I agree, the building is just as impressive as the contents – sometimes more so. It’s a fantastic place.
Angela, thanks for the book recommendation, I’ll definitely look it up. Sounds really interesting.
[...] Peter the Great is responsible for setting it up back in 1704, and it’s especially famous for the dozens of Italian-made sculptures and statues around the park. It’s also home to the Summer Palace – the other-season option to the Winter Palace, which is now home to the Hermitage galleries. [...]
[...] year I raved about The Hermitage museum and gallery in St Petersburg, which is surely one of the most spectacular art experiences [...]
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