Tag: Menshikov Palace

Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo

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The Amber Room is a famous masterpiece of 18th century art, which disappeared without a trace during World War II

The amber room was created by master Andreas Schluter on the order of King Frederik I of Prussia. Subsequently, the amber cabinet which was the original name of this astonishing architectural work, was presented to the Russian Tsar Peter I.

The Amber Cabinet was installed in the Menshikov Palace in 1717. In 1743 Elizabeth Petrovna who had ascended the throne of Russia ordered the Amber Cabinet to be installed in the Winter Chambers of Her Imperial Majesty’s Household. The Empress also asked the chief architect FB Rastrelli and the master Alexander Martelli to “correct” the cabinet. It was finished with gilded wood carvings, mirrors and mosaic paintings of jasper and agate.

For nearly 2 centuries this room has remained unchanged and admired undergoing only periodic renovations to minimize the effects of temperature changes, drafts and stove heating.

During World War II, it was decided not to evacuate to the Amber Room because of its fragility. And the Nazis, having captured the Catherine Palace, destroyed the Amber Room. According to the officers’ report, the wall panels were mutilated with bayonets and knives at human height, the parquet which had been composed of rare wood, sandalwood, rosewood, amaranth, cherry and lemon trees were completely destroyed. The paint on the ceiling was also mangled. This was done by 6 soldiers in 36 hours.

The Amber Room was later displayed at the royal palace in Kroenigsberg, but after liberating Koenigsberg in 1945, Soviet troops did not find the Amber Room.

Nevertheless, some of its fragments were transferred to Russia in 2000.

Since 1981, work on the reconstruction of the Amber Room began, led by AA Zhuravlev. On the occasion of the 300th anniversary of Saint Petersburg, the Amber Room has been completely restored.

She can now be seen by everyone in the Catherine Palace in Saint Petersburg

Watch Amber’s room in music video. These “videos are awesome. Don’t forget to like them if you like them as much as I do.

Watch this first video
Watch this second video
Watch this third video

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The history of the Hermitage

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The State Hermitage or Imperial Hermitage before 1918, is located in Saint Petersburg. It is one of the most important museums not only in Russia but in the whole world.

Its collection includes more than 3 million objects collected, which are works of art and monuments of world culture from the Stone Age to the present day. The total area of ​​the Hermitage is more than 230,000 square meters, of which more than 65,000 are occupied by exhibition spaces.

State Hermitage Museum
State Hermitage Museum

The museum is located in 5 main buildings interconnected and forming a single museum complex.

Hermitage museum complex seen from above
Hermitage museum complex seen from above

The Hermitage was founded on December 7, 1764 by Russian Empress Catherine II. This superb museum began its history with the purchase of a private collection comprising 317 precious paintings, which was initially housed in a special wing of the palace which was called the Hermitage. Now this square is known as the Small Hermitage. The collection contained paintings by Dick Van Baburen, Hendrik Van Balen, Rembrandt Van Rijn and many other famous artists. To date, there are at least 96 of these early paintings exhibited in the Hermitage. This collection grew to include the painting collection of Baron Pierre Crozat in 1772, that of British Prime Minister Walpole in 1779 and that of Count Baudouin in 1781, but it also contained the libraries of Diderot and Voltaires, cameos and other treasures.

Hermitage Winter palace
Hermitage Winter palace

Over time the collection grew and after some time the original premises in which the works of art were stored proved to be insufficient, so from 1771 to 1787 the large Hermitage was built. The new building was intended to house the palace’s art collections. In addition, the Hermitage had one of the oldest theaters in Saint Petersburg and Russia, which was built in 1783.

Emperor's Throne
Emperor’s Throne

The idea of ​​transforming the Hermitage into a public museum came from Nicolas I who contributed significantly to the reconstitution of the museum’s art gallery.

But it will not be until February 5 (17), 1852 with a considerably expanded collection that the Hermitage will open to the public. For this a new building called the New Hermitage was built.

Hebe
Hebe

At that time the Hermitage already possessed the richest collections of monuments of ancient, oriental, Egyptian, and medieval cultures of Western and Eastern European art. The museum also contained archaeological and artistic monuments of Asia and Russian culture from the 8th to the 18th centuries.

Now the museum consists of 5 interconnected buildings. The Winter Palace , which was once the main imperial palace. The Small Hermitage (North and South Pavilions, and the Hanging Garden). The Great Hermitage also called the Old Hermitage, the Hermitage Theater built on Peter I’s Winter Palace, which has been partially preserved, and the New Hermitage .

Going out at the falconry

The Winter Palace Reserve House which is a late 19th century mansion and the Hermitage garage built in 1911 for Emperor Nicholas II are included in the complex of Hermitage buildings as Dependencies.

tapestry interior museum Hermitage-Winter Palace
tapestry interior museum Hermitage-Winter Palace

Additionally, the Hermitage has several other buildings including the Menshikov Palace which was built for the city’s first governor, Alexander Menshikov. This was the first stone building in Saint Petersburg. The Hermitage also uses the wing of the General Staff Building built in 1820, which is a museum exhibition complex, the Imperial Porcelain Factory Museum and the Stock Exchange Building on Vasilyevsky Island . The latter houses the Museum of the Russian Guard and Heraldry.

large Italian skylight hall
large Italian skylight hall

Another important part is the restoration and storage center of the State Hermitage, part of which offers us very interesting guided tours.

And finally, since spring 2020, because of the quarantines caused by the coronavirus, we can take virtual tours of this superb museum. We will see that in our next article.

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Hermitage ceilings
Hermitage ceilings

The modern Hermitage is located at Place Embankment, 32-38 (Main Museum Complex). It is open every day except Monday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., as well as Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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