The story of the Hermitage
Catherine the Great began the collection in 1764 with 225 paintings, keeping them in a private "hermitage" next to her palace. The baroque Winter Palace itself, designed by Rastrelli, was finished in 1762 and was the main home of the tsars until 1917.
Today the museum holds more than three million objects, from Egyptian mummies and Greek gold to Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci and Matisse. Highlights include the white-and-gold Jordan Staircase, the Malachite Room and the golden Peacock Clock. The Impressionists are across the square in the General Staff Building.
