Hermitage

State Hermitage is one of the world’s largest museums, and recognized as one of the best in Russia and Europe. The museum complex consists of five buildings, the most impressive of all is Winter Palace – former imperial residence (built in 1762). In 1764 Catherine II has started the collection – this year is considered to be the date of establishment of the Hermitage Museum. Since 1852 the museum is available to public for visits.

The Hermitage collection consists of over 3 million works of art and world culture artifacts covering periods from ancient times to modern age. They include masterpieces by Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Titian, Velasquez, Rembrandt, Rubens, Renoir, Sezanne, Monet, Van Gogh, Matisse, Gaugin, Picasso, as well as one and only in Russia statue by Michelangelo. The Museum owns great collections of paintings from Holland, Flanders, France, of Italian Renaissance period, and beautiful collection of works by Impressionist painters.

The Egyptian and Antique collections display unique sculptures and other objects of these ages (mummies, tombs, jewelry art and ceramics). The Hermitage owns one of the world’s largest numismatic collection.

The Museum is one of Top 20 most visited museums in the world (over 20 million visitors a year).