Visiting the Hermitage: Another Dream that Came True
I have always been an art lover and, even as a child, dreamed of visiting the most important museums in the world and seeing—up close—the brushstrokes in the masterpieces of the artists I admired so much. Little did I know that when my life took an unexpected turn and I moved to Russia, these dreams would begin to come true. I never imagined that deciding to move to Moscow and study at HSE would also give me the opportunity to visit extraordinary art institutions like the Tretyakov Gallery or the Pushkin Museum. But most importantly, I never expected that I would travel to Saint Petersburg and make one of my longtime dreams come true: visiting the Hermitage.
Noticing Russia’s Deep-Rooted Love for Art
One of the things that struck me most about Russia as soon as I arrived a year ago was how deeply embedded art is in everyday life—not only in the great museums but in the spirit of the people themselves. Here, art is not treated as something distant or elitist; it is part of the national identity, something people actively seek out and celebrate. I was amazed to see how many locals, from students to older couples, spend their weekends wandering through galleries, attending exhibitions, or admiring public sculptures on their way home.
This collective appreciation creates an atmosphere where art feels alive and shared, and immersing myself in this culture has shown me that visiting museums is not just a pastime but almost a ritual—one approached with genuine curiosity and respect. I often notice families guiding their children through the halls, patiently explaining the stories behind each painting, as if passing on a cherished tradition. Even my classmates frequently invite one another to new exhibitions, treating them as social events rather than academic obligations.
This enthusiasm creates a sense of community that revolves around beauty, history, and a profound respect for everything brilliant Russian minds have created. It feels as if art is woven into the rhythm of the cities themselves—from the majestic architecture lining the boulevards to the vibrant street art hidden in quiet courtyards. Living in such an environment has not only strengthened my own passion for art but also taught me to slow down, look closely, and appreciate the way creativity shapes daily life.
Introducing the Hermitage to International Students and Newcomers
Known as the Winter Palace during imperial Russia, the Hermitage is one of the largest museums in the world in terms of both space and collection size. It is also among the few European museums housed in palatial residences, like the Louvre in Paris or the Palazzo Pitti in Florence. I learned that it was Empress Elizabeth who initiated its construction in order to establish an imperial residence in Saint Petersburg. She commissioned the architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, now celebrated as a master of the late Baroque style. However, she passed away shortly before its completion.
Years later, in her apartments in the Winter Palace, the new Empress Catherine the Great created a private museum, which she named the Hermitage. Today, that name is used for the entire complex that expanded in size and beauty far beyond the palace Catherine herself knew. It was interesting to discover that in the second half of the 18th century, the original Hermitage consisted of only four or five rooms: one dedicated to paintings, another to precious objects, and the rest to works of Chinese applied art. There is also a small but beautiful theatre inside, built by another Italian architect, Giacomo Quarenghi.
This is how the Empress assembled one of the finest collections in Europe. However, it was not yet open to the public. Tragedy struck in late 1837 when a fire damaged many important halls. Restoration took about two years. Afterward, Emperor Nicholas I invited Bavarian architect Leo von Klenze to design what is now known as the New Hermitage. He succeeded in creating an elegant home for the museum’s masterpieces, a collection the Emperor continued to expand. The Russian sculptor Alexander Terebenev contributed to its grandeur by carving the immense granite figures that support the building’s portico.
The museum finally opened to the public in the second half of the 19th century, much to the satisfaction of the Emperor. Today, the Hermitage is far more than a museum; it is a vast cultural and research center housing artifacts and art from the Stone Age to the present day.
Choosing favorites
Although it is difficult to choose favorites when talking about this magnificent place, I have crafted a top 5 of my favorite halls and work-of-arts that I hope can serve as a recommendation and guide for those who plan to visit, and also as a motivation to go for those art lovers who have not decided on it yet.
My top 5 favorite halls
1. The Saint George Hall or Large Throne Room
As soon as I entered this spacious room, I could not help but imagine several generations of emperors and empresses sitting in the beautiful red throne, dealing with everyday affairs of the royal life.
This enormous hall was inaugurated during the Orthodox feast of St George in the 18th century and even though the fire that happened in the palace damaged the original design, it was later restored and its previous splendour came back. This big hall was used for official receptions and grand ceremonies and it is so iconic that it is considered a masterpiece of Russian nineteenth-century Neo-Classical architecture. The hall is interesting not only for its decoration, but also for its structural properties: instead of a traditional wooden superstructure, Stasov, the restoration master, employed for the first time here an innovative metal construction that supports a ceiling. Another interesting fact is that the throne that nowadays it has inside, was created by a commission from Empress Anna loannovna.
2. The Knights’ Hall
What immediately gets your attention when entering this room are the four armoured horse riders displayed in it. This exhibition room presents the history of knightly armour, tournament, war and hunting equipment of the Western European tradition. Today, it also contains an extremely impressive collection of knightly weapons, shields and early firearms.
3. The Pavilion Hall of the Small Hermitage
White and simple but with an elegant design, the area of this pavilion was occupied by a Hanging Garden. But later, the garden with the adjoining rooms were united to create a strikingly beautiful hall with two rows of windows that became known as the Pavilion Hall. There are two main things that immediately attracted me from this room: first, the mosaic of colour glass on the floor, which I got to know is based on the mosaics in the baths of Emperor Titus in Rome and secondly, the golden Peacock Clock.
This is definitely one of the most curious artifacts in the museum. It is a wonderful clock with figures of animals. When it strikes the hour, the figures go into motion: the peacock spreads its tail, the owl turns its head and the chicken crows. It is absolutely stunning.
4. The Raphael Loggias
This room definitely stands out from all the rest in style, proportions and design. I read that it was created in the 1780s, on the orders of Empress Catherine the Great. She commanded Giacomo Quarenghi (the architect that designed the Hermitage Theater) to reproduce here the famous gallery in the Vatican Palace in Rome where it is possible to see frescoes by Raphael. In the murals in the Hermitage, it is possible to see episodes from the Old and New Testaments, separated by decorative images of animals and nature that mirror the murals discovered in the Golden House, Emperor Nero's palace in Rome.
5. The Italian Skylight Halls
What beauty is displayed in the Skylight Hall. The name comes, as far as I read, from the way the room is lit from above. These halls contain a display of Italian Baroque paintings from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. And it is very special because of the stunning red windowless walls covered with enormous paintings everywhere and the decorative elements of unique works of Russian artistic items made from Urals malachite, lapis-lazuli and rhodonite.
My top 5 favorite art pieces
1. Crouching Boy by Michelangelo
Dear fellow students and art lovers, few museums in the world can boast sculptures by Michelangelo, the genius of the Renaissance. And Crouching BoyIt is also the only sculpture by him in all Russia. I learned it was bought by Catherine the Great in 1785. For some time it was kept at the Imperial Academy of Arts, where it served as a model for painters and sculptors. But later, it was moved to the museum to be seen by the public.
2. Judith by Giorgione
This painting is powerful and captivating because its brushstrokes tell the tale of Judith, who saved her native city from an Assyrian invasion. Giorgione made it even more fascinating, by not depicting the actual moment when the heroine cut off the head of the enemy commander, but instead, it seems that the artist preferred to create a more introspective image of Judith reflecting on the deed she has performed.
3. The Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt
The subject of this painting is taken from the Gospel parable of the same name, where a father forgives his reckless son after he spent all the family money and comes back asking for mercy.
What is so interesting about this masterpiece is the excellent use of light and shadowI. In the deep complex space, Rembrandt singles out what is most important: the face of the old man, his hands and the figure of the son. Standing in front of the painting, viewers find themselves part of the same circle of onlookers as those in the painting. This masterpiece belonged to the personal collection of Peter the Great.
4. Cupid and Psyche by Canova
There are two versions of this sculpture in the world: one is in the Louvre; the other is the one on display in Room 241 of the New Hermitage. It represents the well known love affair between Roman gods Cupid and Psyche.
5. Madonna and child (Benois Madonna or Madonna with a flower) by DaVinci
This is one of two early Madonnas by Leonardo. In the painting, the artist depicted the young mother with clothing and a hairstyle in the Florentine fashion, playing with baby Jesus and holding out to him a crucifer flower - a traditional symbol of the Passion. I love how the characters are lit up while everything around the two is in shadows, except a small window in the background with a clear blue sky.
This past year in Russia has taught me that when you decide on moving overseas in order to study, you are usually unaware of how much the process itself will change you. By giving this big step, you are also stepping onto new horizons and new possibilities of old dreams becoming true. It is beyond the academic sphere, beyond the challenges of learning a new language and adapting. It is all about these apparently small new experiences. Those are the ones that shape you.
Shared by
Edith Maria Carmona Ramos
