With only two weeks' notice, I found out in the middle of February that I was headed to St. Petersburg, Russia for a business trip. It would be mostly work but there would be one day set aside for sightseeing and getting settled. So I made the most of my time there! It was also a chance to try out my new digital camera and see how the results compared to my warhorse analog camera. I'm pleased with the results of my digital experiment.
I first headed up to see the Church of the Resurrection of Christ (also known as "The Church of the Spilled Blood"). It did not disappoint:
Here's a closer view of its beautiful domes from another angle:
Here's a view from the side. A beautiful church.
This was my favorite street sign. I have to say that this is a good way to point people to the dentist, esp. when there are a lot of foreigners around!
Finally I made it to The Hermitage, a mind-blowing world-class museum featuring countless masterpieces. What made it so memorable for me is that the building itself is an artistic sight in its own right. It's a massive complex of several joined buildings, the largest of which is the old Winter Palace of the Czars. Here's the view walking up to the place:
Here's the line to get into the Hermitage, right before opening. I should add that the lines and crowds here were not a problem at all, perhaps due to the time of year (early March, which was rather chilly).
This is the Jordan Staircase, which you walk up to enter the main exhibit area.
Here's the Pavilion Room, built by Catherine the Great. Insanely ostentatious.
Here's the one of the rooms where they house Venetian paintings:
The Hermitage was a great museum to visit. Some of my favorite works there included Titian's St. Sebastian, Van Dyck's self portrait, and Rembrandt's Return of the Prodigal Son. A touching work is Le Brun's portrait of Grand Princesses Alexandra and Helena Pavlovna when they were 12 and 13; they both died before reaching 20.
Before heading home I stopped in at St. Isaac's Cathedral. It doesn't look like much on the outside, but on the inside it's the most insanely lavish place of worship I've ever laid eyes on. Absolutely amazing. Unfortunately we couldn't take pictures inside, but I would highly recommend seeking it out if you're ever in St. Petersburg.
Well, that's it. Thanks for checking out this page!
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All content copyright 2001 by Christopher A. Flaat.
