We arrived in Saint Petersburg in the early hours of the morning. Today we go to L’Hermitage museum, which is based in the old Winter Palace built by Catherine the Great.

What a palace, we went up the main marble staircase, I have never seen so much gilt and marble and ornamentation. Walked on through the palace rooms including the red throne room and endless large rooms with magnificent ceilings, marquetry floors and far too much to look at. Then we entered into the Hermitage, only went through some of the Italian rooms and some of the Dutch before we had to return.

We saw Leonardo’s 2 madonnas, both quite small but exquisite.

We saw Rembrandts parable of the prodigal son which was a massive canvas and his old man in red (self portrait?) His “Taking Christ down from the cross” had amazing light in it.

Other paintings that stuck with me were

the old lady by the fire

adam and eve