Winter Palace

The Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, is one of the greatest and largest palaces. From 1732 to 1917, it was the official residence of the Russian Tsars. It was built on the shores of the Neva River between 1754 and 1762.

Tsar Nicholas I, in the 19th century, was responsible for the palace's present appearance and layout. He made many changes to the interior of the palace, and was responsible for its complete rebuilding after the fire of 1837.

The Winter Palace

On 30 October 1917, the palace was declared to be part of the Hermitage Museum. Today, the palace, as part one of the world's most famous museums, attracts an annual 3.5 million visitors.

Gallery

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  Palace Square at night

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  Winter Palace Library

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  The Golden Drawing Room

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  The Armorial Hall

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  The Field-Marshall's Hall, by Sadovnikov, 1852.

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  The St Georges Hall by Ukhtomsky, 1862.

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  The Great Ante-Chamber (waiting room), Ukhtomsky 1861.

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  The Throne Room of Empress Maria Fiodorovna, ~1831.

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  Nicholas II, last Tsar of all the Russias, in the Nicholas Hall of the Winter Palace.

Winter Palace Media

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  The first Winter Palace, designed in 1711 for Peter the Great, by Domenico Trezzini who, 16 years later, was to design the third Winter Palace

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  The third Winter Palace of 1727. Designed by Domenico Trezzini it incorporated the second Winter Palace of 1721 by Georg Mattarnovy as one of its terminating pavilions.

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  The principal or "Jordan Staircase", (8 on the plan below), so-called because on the Feast of the Epiphany the Tsar descended this Imperial staircase in state for the ceremony of the "Blessing of the Waters". It is one of the few parts of the palace retaining Rastrelli's 18th century rococo style.

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  Frans Hals' Portrait of a Young Man Holding a Glove, purchased for the Winter Palace in 1764

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  Rembrandt's Portrait of a Scholar purchased in 1769. The painting is one of several by Rembrandt in the former Imperial Collection.

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  The Rotunda (26). This circular hall, dating from the early 19th century, links the state and private rooms of the palace, and represents the final and neoclassical stage of the palace's evolution. Painting by Yefim Tukharinov.

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  The Nicholas Hall (6 on plan) is the principal reception room, at the centre of the Neva enfilade. This room was the setting for court balls. Painting by Konstantin Ukhtomsky.

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  The Small Throne Room (10 on plan) was created by Auguste de Montferrand in 1833. It has columns of jasper. Diplomats gathered here on New Year's Day to offer good wishes to the Emperor.