Lying in amidst of the cultural capital city of Russia, Hermitage Museum is a world-renowned museum located in Saint Petersburg. The museum is known to be one of the oldest and classic museums of all time. Constructed back in the year 1852, Hermitage museum is counted in the largest museums of the world. It is full of masterpieces in art and culture from the ancient era to the contemporary days. Today, it houses not less than 3 million pieces of art and is highly famed in the world. Take a glimpse about a few interesting and amazing facts about the Hermitage:
image: visionsoftravel.org
1. What’s Behind The Name ‘Hermitage?’
The word ‘Hermitage’ is derived from the word ‘hermit’, which translates to ‘people who live alone’.
source: Wikipedia
2. Largest Art Gallery
The Hermitage Museum is the largest art gallery in Russia and is among the largest and most adored art museums in the world. It has 1,057 rooms in total. It is believed that you will need to walk 22 kilometers to see all parts of the Hermitage.
source: saint-petersburg.com, image: visitbabushka.com
3. Five Inter-Connected Buildings!
The museum is now housed in five interconnected buildings now. Apart from the Small Hermitage, the museum includes the Old Hermitage, New Hermitage, Hermitage Theatre, and the Winter Palace. The Hermitage has expanded over the years and has become the grandest and magnificent museum in itself now.
source: britannica.com, image: testmain.hermitagemuseum.org
4. The Empress Who Died!
Another beautiful part of the Hermitage is the Winter Palace. Many tourists know it as the main building of the Hermitage Museum beautifully constructed in green and white color. The palace was constructed for Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great. Sadly, the empress died before the palace was completed.
source: saint-petersburg.com, image: petroart.ru
5. Romanov Tsars Lived Here!
The Winter Palace was once the official residence of the Romanov Tsars.
source: softschools.com, image: omegastereo.com
6. Still, Has Catherine’s Collection
When the museum was found in 1764, Catherine the Great bought a collection of 255 paintings from the German city of Berlin. This original collection still remains in the Hermitage. Catherine continued to collect paintings throughout the rest of her life.
source: softschools.com, image: theaureview.com
7. Richest Collection Of More Than 3 Million
The State Hermitage Museum possesses nearly three million items of art dating back to the era of Stone Age to the present days. The collections of the museum include West-European art, Ancient Art, Primitive culture, Oriental art, Russian art and collections of coins and medals.
source: britannica.com, image: highlanderimagesphotography.files.wordpress.com, image: 1.bp.blogspot.com
8. When The Palace Burnt!
In 1837 a fire destroyed most of the rooms of the Winter Palace and ruined the exterior. The fire started due to the construction mistakes in the Small Throne room. It was later re-built.
source: nordictravel.ru
9. Jobs For Cats!
Another shocking yet interesting fact about the Hermitage is that there are about 50 cats employed in the State Hermitage. Their main role is to protect the items from rats and mice.
source: nordictravel.ru, image: upload.wikimedia.org
10. Fun With Colors
The Winter Palace was always repainted in different colors, such as red and pink. The original color was pale green, which is from 1946. The building is extremely stunning and attracts around three millions of tourists every year.
source: sntpeters.com
11. Looted Paintings In The Museum
The Red Army in Germany looted paintings and hid them in the State Hermitage building in the year 1945. They were first exhibited as ‘Hidden Treasures Revealed’.
source: softschools.com, image: 3.bp.blogspot.com
12. 11 Years To See Them All!
It is believed that if spend a minute looking at each painting or other masterpieces on display in the Hermitage, you would require 11 years to see them all.
source: saint-petersburg.com
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