Author Topic: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???  (Read 54703 times)

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helenazar

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The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« on: January 20, 2005, 03:04:58 PM »
Some people who visited the Hermitage were talking about this on another thread. The Hermitage is one of the world's largest art museums and can take weeks to cover! If you have any questions about visiting the Hermitage and what to try to see there or if you have suggestions as to what is worth seeking out for someone who is planning a visit but has limited time, please post here. I will copy a few of the posts about this from the other thread as well.


helenazar

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Re: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2005, 03:08:01 PM »
One of my favorite pieces at the Hermitage is 'The Breakfast' by Velázquez...  



The Peacock Clock is located in the Pavilion Hall (Room 204) is a must see. This magnificent gilded clock with automata, was made by a celebrated English clockmaker in the 18th century. The "clock" is a peacock on a gilded tree branch (completed with gilded leaves), an owl in a cage, and a rooster.
     Each Wednesday at 5:00 pm, the Peacock Clock is wound up. The gilded peacock spreads its tail, the "feathers" raise upright, and the whole bird rotates around, while the owl bobs in his cage, opening and closing his eyes. This is truly wonderful to see, but crowds line up, so get there early to get a place close to the peacock. (While you're waiting, you can admire the marble floors and chandeliers in the Pavilion Room.)






moonlight_tsarina

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Re: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2005, 09:00:49 PM »
How much does it cost for admission to this palace? ???
Thanks,
Annie

helenazar

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Re: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« Reply #3 on: January 23, 2005, 09:23:22 PM »
Quote
How much does it cost for admission to this palace? ???
Annie, it's actually more a museum than a palace, but of course a palace too. If I remember correctly, I think it costs around 15USD...

moonlight_tsarina

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Re: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2005, 10:52:02 AM »
Wow, that's actully not as bad as i had thought! well actully, its the plane ticket and stuff like hotel resevations that is whats sooo expensive!! :'(

helenazar

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Re: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2005, 11:16:13 AM »
Quote
....its the plane ticket and stuff like hotel resevations that is whats sooo expensive!! :'(
Yes, exactly. Everything else is not so bad over there, as Russia has not yet switched to euros. But if you are flexible, search around and start planning early, you can get pretty good deals on airfare and hotels as well...

moonlight_tsarina

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Re: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2005, 04:20:41 PM »
Whose idea was it to called the Winter Palace "The Hermitage" in the fist place?  ???

helenazar

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Re: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2005, 05:21:26 PM »
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Whose idea was it to called the Winter Palace "The Hermitage" in the fist place?  ???

I think it was Catherine the Great. But this is not the only "Hermitage", there are others, including one in Tsarskoe Selo/Pushkin...

Offline Belochka

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Re: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2005, 09:48:33 PM »
There were a number of Winter Palaces in SPb.

The first one was built for Peter the Great in 1708, the creator of St. Petersburg. He selected the site for his residence. His successors followed his example and had erected new Winter Palaces along the Neva Embankment.

The present Winter Palace is the sixth one, built by Rastrelli.

The word Hermitage comes from the French, and means a a place of solitude. This building joined to the Winter Palace by a gallery with the Hanging Garden, where Catherine II enjoyed walking.

The Hermitage museum was founded in 1764. Catherine held her soirees here with her confidants. According to Lobanova, the Hermitage does not relate to the first art acquisitions of Catherine II. It was much later that the name became synonymous with her art collection. However, her picture gallery did mark the beginning of the Imperial collection.

In all the compound comprises five separate buildings all joined by hanging corridors.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Belochka »


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Robert_Hall

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Re: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2005, 10:09:04 PM »
And a truely magnificent complex it is.

Offline Belochka

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Re: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2005, 01:59:58 AM »
Initially, the palace exterior was a sand color and then painted a dull red in the 19th century. Today it takes on a white and green coloring which accords perfectly with Rastrelli's idea of a sumptous architectural masterpiece.

The ensemble with its magnificent buildings and glorious interiors created over 150 years, is indeed a unique monument to Russian culture of the 18th and late 19th centuries.

The State Hermitage, with over 3 million pieces, certainly ranks IMHO with the Louvre as among the very best repository of art in the world.  ;D ;D


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La_Mashka

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Re: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2005, 11:47:09 AM »
Not to be missed

The two works by Da Vinci

The sculpture by Michelangelo

The impressionist rooms


Offline BobG

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Re: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2005, 12:54:27 PM »
Actually, the Hermitage and the Winter Palace were damaged during the war, but it was far less damage than Peterhof, The Catherine Palace or Pavlovsk suffered.  On the Hermitage web site, there is a section on the Hermitage during the war with pictures of the damage done by the direct hits of bomb.  It was fairly localized damage, and did not require major reconstruction.

Remio

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Re: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« Reply #13 on: May 09, 2006, 01:55:08 PM »
What do you think about ??? :)


Vassili_Vorontsoff

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Re: The Hermitage, the biggest museum of the world ???
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2006, 07:17:44 AM »
Hello Remio,

You know there is no real estimation about the first museum in the world...it depends on the criteria the hermitage has one of the biggest collection of european art of the world...nonetheless it lacks of modern art,egypatians or antics objects...

I'm french and you know every country says that his museum his the more important...in terms of budget :the British museum ,the guggenheim center in new York or The louvres have more money(the hermitage fonctinns with approximately 30millions dollars whereas the Louvres has 150 millions of Euros...

It is really difficult to estimate so as a conclusion I'll that in any case the hermitage has done a great,huge work this last decade(in terms of renovartion,modernisation)

Vassili