Known not only in Russia, but throughout the world, the Hermitage Museum owns several buildings, each of which presents different expositions. The main and most visited is located in the Winter Palace. But the building directly opposite is not left without attention - the General Staff of the Hermitage. Its eastern part was handed over to the museum in the early 90s and now also provides a platform for exhibitions and art events.
History of the monument
Architectural structure is a unique monument. Back in the 19th century, it was decided to ennoble the territory opposite the imperial palace. The project of the future building was considered for a long time, various options were considered. After approval, K. Rossi and other famous artists - architects and artists - worked on the creation of the monument. Construction work lasted from 1819, ended in the early 30s.
The construction of the General Staff Building of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg began under Alexander I, and after his death continued under Nicholas I. The new tsar made some changes to the project. According to himAt will, the arch was decorated as a monument to brave warriors. The east wing was previously reserved for civilian departments. Until the revolution of 1917, the Ministry of Finance was located here, and in 2017, a hundred years later, an exhibition dedicated to that period was organized. In the Soviet years, the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs (NKID) was located in the building.
Description
The building consists of two buildings. They are connected to each other by a high arch, which is decorated with an impressive composition called "The Chariot of Glory". It is located at a height of more than 35 m. This attribute was made in honor of the victory in the war of 1812. Six horses on the sides and the figure of the Goddess of Glory in the center perfectly complement the strict architecture of the headquarters. Numerous high reliefs on the vaults of the arch fit perfectly into the composition. The whole building is 580 meters long and curves slightly in an arc.
Among the special decor elements of the Hermitage's General Staff building is a street clock. Installed at the beginning of the last century, they always show the exact time.
After going inside, you should first familiarize yourself with the layout of the halls. Each floor has its own system of corridors and atriums. Many halls have their own names: in memory of C. Faberge, Bely and others. There is a separate space for lectures.
Current State
In the 2000s, the building was restored, the interior design was restored. We also worked on the appearance of the building. Now the entire facade is illuminated at night, and you can doamazing photos in front of it. Going inside the museum, visitors will see a majestic marble staircase, several courtyards, atriums, bridges with glass partitions. Through the transparent elements of the ceiling, daylight breaks through. Some historical interiors from the Soviet and earlier periods have been restored.
It's not the first year that the museum's management has been thinking about renaming the Hermitage branch - the General Staff. Such a name is not associated with art and scares away potential visitors, especially foreigners. Now the museum provides an opportunity to use audio guides, buy souvenirs and books on painting. Using modern equipment, you can independently build a route for visiting exhibitions so as not to get lost in the labyrinth of rooms.
How to find
The main headquarters of the Hermitage is located in the center of St. Petersburg, not far from the Palace Bridge and the square of the same name. The most convenient way to get there is from the Admir alteyskaya metro station, go part of the way along Nevsky Prospekt and turn towards the arch. When exiting the arch, the entrance to the museum is located on the right. In the opposite wing is the garrison court.
If it is preferable to get there by urban land transport, you need to get off at the Malaya Morskaya stop. The path from there is quite close, on the way tourists admire the main street of the city, take pictures on Palace Square. Of the modes of transport, both trolleybuses and buses run.
If tourists prefer to visit the Winter Palace first, then you should move straight from it, through the square. Then turn slightly to the left and go to the doors with the symbols of the museum complex.
Exhibitions at the General Staff Building of the Hermitage
The building occasionally hosts various contemporary art events. These are mainly temporary exhibitions, lectures, creative meetings. For the convenience of guests, there is a cozy cafe in the building where you can have lunch or a snack during the break of the event.
From the permanent exhibitions, the most interesting paintings by famous artists - impressionists and post-impressionists. Among them are such famous names as Gauguin, Cezanne, Degas, Monet and many others. Not only art lovers come to see the unique collection, but also artists themselves, art critics and researchers.
You can get acquainted with arts and crafts on the second floor of the building. A little higher is an exhibition of jewelry items. Luxurious trays, sets, women's jewelry and other products of famous factories and craftsmen are presented here.
Opening hours
The museum is open all days of the week except Mondays. Some holidays will also be an exception: January 1 and May 9. The main opening hours are from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. until 18:00. On Wednesday or Friday, you can stay longer in the exhibition hall: the closing will take place at 21:00. The opening hours of the General Staff Building of the Hermitage are the same as for other museum facilities.
Ticket pricevaries depending on the season, if the tourist wants to get into several buildings of the museum complex at once. If the choice fell only on the General Staff of the Hermitage, the price is stable - 300 rubles for the entrance. Or the amount assigned by the curators of the temporary exhibition or the organizers of the creative meeting.
It is worth remembering that at the Hermitage General Headquarters, the ticket office closes an hour before the closing of the entire building. For tourists, the best solution would be to purchase a single ticket to several museum buildings at once. It is more convenient to do this through special machines to avoid standing in lines. There are benefits for some categories of visitors.
