One cannot imagine tour to Saint-Petersburg without visit to the Hermitage.

The largest museum in the world with unique art collections, it is situated in the former Winter Palace, which was the official residence of Russian czars for more than two centuries.

It was built by Rastrelli in 1764 in baroque style and was considered as one of the most beautiful palaces in St.Petersburg. The majestic enfilade of tastefully decorated parade rooms attracts visitors by its elegance. One is struck by rich decoration of the Malachite room, refined style of the Large Throne room and Concert room, by slenderness and taste of the Pavilion Hall.

The Hermitage is famous not only by its architecture but mostly by paintings collections. The gem of the Hermitage collection is the section of Western European art, which include masterpieces of Leonardo da Vinci, Titian, Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyke, French impressionists and post-impressionists. In the collection of Spanish art there are paintings by El Greco, Murillo, Zurbaran, Velazquez, Goya. Altogether, it contains 150 paintings, which can be rarely found outside Spain.