The Hermitage

The Hermitage is well-known all over the world for its fabulously rich collections of art and culture. The first large consignment of pictures arrived at the Winter Palace in 1764, and it is from this date that the Hermitage counts its beginnings.
The Hermitage museum occupies five buildings: the Winter Palace, the Small Hermitage, the Old Hermitage, the Hermitage Theatre and the New Hermitage.
The Hermitage museum’s oldest department is that of Western European art. Housed here are canvases by Leonardo da Vinci, Rafael, Giorgione, Titian, Rembrandt and other great artists. Mention should be made of the valuable collection of French art. The Department of Antique Art boasts a priceless collection of ancient sculpture and archaeological relics which is being enlarged by new finds.