Hermitage, Saint Petersburg, Russia. Going there in the summer? Good luck

Visiting the Hermitage in summer is nothing short of a mission. It’s one of those things everyone feels they must do — so much so that at some point, you start questioning whether you actually need it.

 

It’s like the Louvre in Paris. After standing in line for tickets for an hour, squeezing through security, and finally making it inside, you find yourself in a sea of people. The grand, opulent halls of this 18th-century palace are packed with hundreds of tourists and dozens of guided tour groups.  

What can you do? The Hermitage is officially one of the most visited museums in the world. It’s a true cultural symbol of Russia, one of the largest and oldest museums on the planet with over three million works of art.  

Inside the Hermitage, photo by author

That said, I wouldn’t recommend coming here in summer, like me. But if you have no other choice — go anyway, in the early morning. Just try to mentally isolate yourself and focus entirely on the beauty of the interiors, the incredible art collections, and the history surrounding you. I know it might be hard, like seeing the Mona Lisa masterpiece from afar in Louvre, with dozens of people standing ahead of you with their phones for selfies… 

A Very Brief History  

The Winter Palace’s story begins in the 18th century. After founding St. Petersburg in 1703, Peter the Great set out to build a new capital that would symbolize Russia’s power and grandeur. The first Winter Palace was modest, but by the end of Peter’s reign, it had become an emblem of imperial authority. The palace as we know it today took shape under Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, who in 1754 commissioned architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli to construct a new, magnificent palace in the Elizabethan Baroque style. The project took eight years to complete, resulting in a lavish building adorned with intricate decor, columns, gilding, and countless halls. From Elizabeth’s reign onward, the Winter Palace served as the official residence of Russian emperors, hosting grand events, foreign ambassadors, and important ceremonies.  

Until the mid-19th century, the Hermitage lived up to its name (from the French Hermitage, meaning “a secluded retreat”) — only the elite were allowed inside. It wasn’t until February 5 (17), 1852, under Emperor Nicholas I, that the museum opened to the public in the specially constructed New Hermitage building.  

The Art Collection 

The richness and scope of the Hermitage’s collection is estonishing. Here, you can trace the evolution of world art from humanity’s earliest steps — from the Stone Age to the late 20th century.  

From the Paleolithic to the Scythians 

The collection of prehistoric art and archaeological finds from the former USSR is particularly striking. The Hermitage holds the world’s finest collection of Scythian gold—luxurious jewelry, weapons, and ritual objects — as well as unique artifacts from the Pazyryk burial mounds (those frozen Scythian tombs that preserved ancient fabrics and even tattoos!).  

I can’t help but mention the Paleolithic “Venus” figurines from the village of Kostenki—these enigmatic sculptures, created tens of thousands of years ago, still spark the imagination. Then there’s the stunning pottery, bronze castings, and stone slabs with petroglyphs.  

The Old Masters Gallery: What the Russian Emperors Collected  

The museum’s painting gallery reflects the tastes of the Russian emperors, who, as true aristocrats, favored academic art. You’ll find:  

- Florentine High Renaissance  

- The Bolognese School  

- The “Little Dutchmen” (cozy domestic scenes)  

- Rubens and his circle (voluptuous forms, dramatic narratives)  

- French Classicism and Rococo (elegant, refined art)  

But there are surprising gaps. Due to the collectors’ preferences, the museum lacks works by Giotto, Bosch, Dürer, Vermeer, and Bruegel. A shame, but the masterpieces that are here more than make up for it.  

For example, there’s a copy of The Garden of Earthly Delights by a follower of Bosch. The Hermitage’s version differs from Hieronymus Bosch’s original — the artist didn’t just replicate the image but reinterpreted it through the lens of their own era, infusing it with Mannerist elements. Modern research, including dendrochronological analysis by Professor Peter Klein (Hamburg, Germany), dates the work to 1556–1568 and confirms its Dutch origin.  

Follower of Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights, between 1566 and 1568

All in all, the Hermitage is just unforgetable and uncomparable. Just walking these halls and rooms is spiritually sacred experience.

Don’t forget:

- Come early. Crowds are lighter in the morning than in the afternoon.  

- Hire a professional museum guide or, at the very least, get an audio guide. The collection is enormous, and the halls are endless — a guide will help you navigate it systematically and understand it better.