# WINTER PALACE WITH HERMITAGE MUSEUM 9 
Founded in 1764 and featuring more than four hundred exhibit halls, the Hermitage Museum is one of the world's oldest, biggest, and certainly greatest art collections, presented in spectacular connected palaces.
The art collection includes the stunning Peacock Clock by James Cox as well as famous paintings by Leonardo Da Vinci, Rembrandt, and sculptures by Antonio Canova and Michelangelo.
This is our selection of the ten best paintings of the Hermitage Museum:
1) Madonna Litta, Leonardo Da Vinci (1490) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 2) The Lute Player, Caravaggio (1596) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 3) Woman in Blue by Thomas Gainsborough (c. 1770s) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 4) Benois Madonna, Leonardo Da Vinci (1478) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 5) St Luke Drawing the Virgin, Rogier van der Weyden (c. 1440) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 6) Danae, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1636) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 7) Crown of Thorns (Ecce Homo), Peter Paul Rubens (1612) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 8) The Return of the Prodigal Son, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1668) 9) The Dance II, Henri Matisse (1910) by Wikimedia / Public Domain 10) Boulevard Montmartre à Paris, Camille Pissarro (1897) by Wikimedia / Public Domain
This is our selection of the five sculptures and other highlights of the Hermitage Museum:
1) Main Staircase (or Jordan Staircase) at the Hermitage, Bartolomeo Rastrelli (1762) 2) Peacock Clock, James Cox (second half of the 18th century) 3) The Three Graces, Antonio Canova (1813-1816) 4) Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss, Antonio Canova (1787-1793) 5) Crouching Boy, Michelangelo (1530) 6) Portico with Atlantes (historical entrance), designed by Leo von Klenze and executed by Alexander Terebenev (1848)
Art and Archaeological Museum | Palace 🌍 Gallery Space: 66,842 m2 / 719,480 ft2 | Galleries: 350 | Artworks on Display: ca. 60,000 | Established: 1764 | Visitors [2017]: 4,200,000
# CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR ON SPILLED BLOOD 9
Stepping inside this beautiful church, which was completed in 1907, you will be mesmerized by 7,000 m2 of shimmering mosaics—one of the world’s most breathtaking interiors.
Likewise, the exterior, modeled after Moscow's Cathedral of Basil the Blessed with five ornately decorated onion domes, is highly attractive.
Cathedral 🌍 World Heritage Site: since 1990
# Saint Isaac's Cathedral 7 
The fourth-largest cathedral in the world by volume under the cupola was completed in 1858 in neoclassical style.
Climb up to the 262 steps to the viewing balcony (colonnade) around the cathedral’s famous gilded dome for magnificent views.
Cathedral | Viewpoint Completed: 1858 | Style: Neoclassical
# Palace Square with Alexander Column 7
At the center of Saint Petersburg’s impressive main square stands the 47.5 meters high Alexander Column, which is surrounded by numerous elegant historic buildings. Most notably the green and white Winter Palace and the yellow and white General Staff Building (now both part of the Hermitage Museum).
# HISTORIC CENTER 7
Nicknamed "Venice of the North" for its numerous canals and more than four hundred bridges, Saint Petersburg’s historical center possesses an outstanding architectural heritage.
The most significant sights are all situated on or near the majestic Nevsky Prospect Avenue, the main artery of the city.
Historic Area 🌍 World Heritage Site: since 1990
# Peter and Paul Cathedral and Fortress 7
The stunning Peter and Paul Fortress was constructed in 1703 on an island in the shape of a hexagram with six great bastions as one of the very first buildings in St Petersburg.
The Peter and Paul Cathedral with its impressive gold-painted spire with a height of 123 meters (404 ft) is one of the most famous landmarks of the city.
by Andrew Shiva / CC BY-SA 4.0
# State Russian Museum 6 
Focusing on Russian art from ancient church icons to 20th-century paintings this massive museum complex houses a magnificent collection. Most of it is displayed in the Mikhailovsky Palace.
This is our selection of the five best paintings of the State Russian Museum:
1) The Last Day of Pompeii, Karl Briullov (1830-1833)
by Wikimedia / Public Domain
2) Barge Haulers on the Volga, Ilya Repin (1872-73)
by Wikimedia / Public Domain
3) Knight at the Crossroads, Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov (1882)
by Wikimedia / Public Domain
4) The Ninth Wave, Ivan Aivazovsky (1850)
by Wikimedia / Public Domain
5) The Angel with Golden Hair, Unknown (12th century)
by Wikimedia / Public Domain
Art Museum Gallery Space: 15,951 m2 [171,695 ft2] | Galleries: 54 (Mikhailovsky Palace) | Established: 1898 | Visitors [2016]: 991,931
(Click on images to open in lightbox)
# Yusupov Palace (Moika Palace) 6
Famous as the scene of the assassination of Grigory Rasputin in 1916, this opulent palace was once home to the incredibly wealthy Yusupov family and has remarkably retained many of its interiors from the 19th century.
by Dennis Jarvis / CC BY-SA 2.0
# Nevsky Prospekt 6
The majority of St. Petersburg's tourist attractions, shopping, and nightlife are all situated on or adjacent to this famous boulevard, regarded as the Russian Champs-Élysées.
The avenue starts at the foot of the Admiralty building near the Neva River and runs in a perfectly straight line around 4.5 km (2.7 miles) to Moscow station.
Shopping Street Length: 4.5 km / 2.7 miles
# Fabergé Museum 6
This privately-owned museum, located inside the extravagant 18th century Shuvalov Palace, was established by Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg in 2013.
The museum's main showpieces are a collection of nine Imperial Easter eggs created by Fabergé for the last two Russian Tsars.
PETERHOF PALACE (Grand Palace) and GARDEN 8 
The Peterhof Palace, often referred to as the "Russian Versailles," is a stunning baroque structure built by Peter the Great in the early 18th century to showcase Russia's naval prowess and provide a regal seaside residence.
Surrounding the palace are the meticulously designed Lower and Upper Gardens, famous for their grand fountains, including the spectacular Grand Cascade, which features a series of waterfalls, sculptures, and water jets fed by natural springs without the use of pumps.
Palace 🌍 World Heritage Site: since 1990 | Distance from Saint Petersburg: 50 km
TSARSKOYE SELO with CATHERINE PALACE and GARDEN 8
Tsarskoye Selo, located in the town of Pushkin near St. Petersburg, is a former royal residence that includes the magnificent Catherine Palace, renowned for its elaborate rococo architecture and the world-famous Amber Room.
Palace and Garden 🌍 World Heritage Site: since 1990 | Distance from Saint Petersburg: 26 km, in Pushkin
The Naval Cathedral of Saint Nicholas 7 
The Naval Cathedral of Saint Nicholas in Kronstadt is a monumental neo-Byzantine cathedral built in the early 20th century to serve as the main church of the Russian Navy and to commemorate sailors who lost their lives at sea.
Designed by Vasily Kosyakov, the cathedral features a grand central dome, intricate mosaics, and a richly decorated interior that blends traditional Russian Orthodox elements with maritime themes.
Cathedral Distance from Saint Petersburg: 50.7 km, in Kronstadt
by Alex 'Florstein' Fedorov / CC BY-SA 4.0
Famous Cafés in Saint Petersburg
– Cafe Singer
– Kupetz Eliseevs
