Tsar's Winter Palace/ Hermitage Museum One

Nok in Russia : St.Petersburg
Tsar's Winter Palace/ The Hermitage Museum
Part One

Photography and story by Amie Hana

The Winter Palace is undoubtedly the most famous building of imperial St. Petersburg, not only as the residence of the Tsars and the backdrop for the 1905 and 1917 Revolutions, but also as the home of the Hermitage, the world's largest museum of art.

The present structure, completed in 1762 and designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, was commissioned by the Empress Elizabeth. Its opulent baroque facade, stretching two hundred meters, is a veritable cornucopia of pilasters, bays, and statuary. The palace served as the winter residence for every ruler of Russia since Peter III, who installed himself there along with his mistress, the Countess Vorontsova. After his wife Catherine the Great seized the throne, she redecorated and appropriated her husband's old quarters. While her son Nicholas I lived in a modest apartment there, his wife Alexandra commissioned the famously luxurious Malachite Room, later to be used as the meeting place for Kerensky's Provisional Government. Nicholas II had his quarters immediately above this room until 1904, when he moved from the increasingly discontented capital to Tsarskoe Selo. In July of 1917, the Provisional Government took up residence here, thus setting the stage for the October Revolution. After consolidating its power, the Bolshevik government transferred its capital to Moscow, and since that time the Winter Palace has been associated primarily with its role as the Hermitage Museum.

The famous Jordan Staircase (that took my breath away)

The interiors of the Winter Palace were spectacular and designed to impress. They were richly decorated in marble, gilt, silk and parquet. All of this splendor went up in flames in December 1837. Nicholas I and his wife, Alexandra, were at the theatre when they received news that their home was on fire. He rushed back to direct the rescue efforts.

The fire was one of the biggest ever seen in the city. The heat from the fire made the statues on the roof toss and jump about, making them look like they were giants in some infernal dance above the palace. Men and soldiers risked their lives to save furnishings and works of art from the palace. The private possessions of the Tsar's family were dragged out from under the flames. The Empress's dressing table - with everything upon it - was brought out at great risk to the men that saved it. Unavoidably, precious objects were dropped along the way and lost in the confusion. The following spring, gold ornaments belonging to the Empress were found under the melting snow. After the fire ended, the Winter Palace was only a burned out shell.

Nicholas I decided he wanted the palace totally restored - and fast. Work began even before the ruins had cooled. Thousands toiled to recreate the building just as it was. By 1839 most of the major halls were recreated under the direction of the Russian architect, Stasov. People suspected the work was done too quickly - simply to meet unrealistic commitments made to Tsar Nicholas I.

When the St. George's Hall was reopened the Tsar made a tour of it and was very pleased with the accomplishments of the his workmen. The room was splendidly redone and enormous chandeliers where lit to add sparkle and glamour to the room. Less than 24 hours after the Tsar had stood beneath the great chandeliers admiring the work, one of them came crashing down with part of the ceiling.


The Palace was a working Imperial residence and the many of the Tsars and Tsarinas made their home there. Thousands of servants worked at the palace to servethe needs of the Romanovs and their guests. The palace was so vast and labyrinth-like that there were curious corners where bizarre aspects of palace life took place unknown to the outside world. Few people knew about things such as the cows who lived on the roof and supplied fresh milk to the family. In the cellar was a vast wine cellar filled with thousands of the best European vintages. Elsewhere, the fabulous Russian crown jewels were tucked away in their own special room and there were hundreds of little service rooms where peculiar services took place - among them were upholstery, flower arranging, pie making, gift, china, and buffet rooms.

Imperial Throne in the St. George Hall at the Hermitage

In 1900 the Tsar and his family still spent part of the year at the Winter Palace, although they didn't like the place very much. The palace was unsafe and noisy - it was impossible to guarantee the safety of the Tsar there. The Secret Police knew there were hundreds of doors and passages leading into the palace. Workmen, servants and tradesmen came and went all the time and this made the Secret Police fear terrorist attacks on the palace. Some years before a huge bomb had been constructed in the place by revolutionaries and Alexander II was lucky to have escaped unharmed, although many people died or were injured in the bombing.

Spectacular designed floor

with matching designed ceiling

Beside the danger of terrorism the plumbing was atrocious and a danger to the health of the Tsar's family. No mater what steps were taken, cases of typhoid, cholera and diphtheria were constantly being contracted in the palace.

Hundreds of people were coming and going constantly and every member of the aristocracy wanted to see stop by and see the Tsar or Tsarina. The Imperial Couple, however, much preferred the peaceful seclusion and quiet of Tsarskoe Selo and the Alexander Palace over the Winter Palace.

St. George Hall










The War Gallery of 1812








Decorated ceiling


with matching designed floor




Pavilion Hall










Tile Floor of the Pavilion Hall at the Hermitage Museum

The Council Staircase of the Hermitage Museum

Malachite Vase near the Council Staircase