Happy 299th Birthday
St. Petersburg, often called the "Venice of the North," has over 66 rivers and canals. Beginning on the Moika River, we glide past grand palaces and baroque mansions, some a bit dowdy, others undergoing repairs, and a few resplendent in their finery. St. Petersburg is gradually being restored to its former glory. A busy day, but tomorrow promises to be even busier when we visit the Peterhof and L'Hermitage with its 13 miles of corridors.
The Peterhof
The stunning Peterhof is located 20 miles outside St. Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland. The palace is often called Russia's Versailles -- not surprisingly since it was designed and built by Jean-Baptiste Le Blond, the architect for Louis XIV. It is set in a 2500 acre park filled with more than 140 fountains and canals, plus several smaller palaces. It is the fantastic fountain display, however, that highlights the Peterhof. The Grand Cascade was installed in 1709 to commemorate Russia's victory over Sweden. It flows down a magnificent avenue and is ornamented by monumental statues, including a huge center statue of Samson overpowering a lion spouting water. I was speechless (no mean feat) as I stood on the wide palace veranda and gazed down the full length of the Cascade that stretches for perhaps a half mile to the blue Gulf of Finland.
Location! Location! Location!
The Hermitage
What the Louvre is to Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art is to New York, the Hermitage is to St. Petersburg.
It would take months to see it all, but even with the crowds of people, we saw works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, and Rubens as well as rooms filled with the art of Gaugin, Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, and Rodin. The building was commissioned by Empress Elizabeth in 1754 and the impressive three-story baroque masterpiece has 1786 doors, 1945 windows, 1057 halls and rooms, and 117 staircases. The facade is stucco and is resplendent in green, white, and gold. The art collection was begun by Catherine the Great, but also represents the acquisitions of seven czars as well as collections confiscated from private citizens after the 1917 revolution.
It was a Saturday and people were everywhere. The gigantic square outside was packed with people. There was a huge soundstage. What was going on? Well, it seems that the following Tuesday would be the 299th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg and the city fathers decided to hold the celebration today so more people could attend. I thought that this was a madhouse, but then I realized that these people were singing and dancing and smiling, not standing grim-faced while tanks and guns and rockets rolled by. Maybe this old world will make it after all -- at least this part of it.
It had been a wonderful two days in spite of those "politicians" who had delayed us.
We had seen marvelous works of art and a great old city starting to shake herself free and rise out of the ashes of communism. Now it was time to sail to Estonia.
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The stunning Peterhof is located 20 miles outside St. Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland. The palace is often called Russia's Versailles -- not surprisingly since it was designed and built by Jean-Baptiste Le Blond, the architect for Louis XIV. It is set in a 2500 acre park filled with more than 140 fountains and canals, plus several smaller palaces. It is the fantastic fountain display, however, that highlights the Peterhof. The Grand Cascade was installed in 1709 to commemorate Russia's victory over Sweden. It flows down a magnificent avenue and is ornamented by monumental statues, including a huge center statue of Samson overpowering a lion spouting water. I was speechless (no mean feat) as I stood on the wide palace veranda and gazed down the full length of the Cascade that stretches for perhaps a half mile to the blue Gulf of Finland.
Location! Location! Location!
The Hermitage
What the Louvre is to Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art is to New York, the Hermitage is to St. Petersburg.
It would take months to see it all, but even with the crowds of people, we saw works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, and Rubens as well as rooms filled with the art of Gaugin, Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, and Rodin. The building was commissioned by Empress Elizabeth in 1754 and the impressive three-story baroque masterpiece has 1786 doors, 1945 windows, 1057 halls and rooms, and 117 staircases. The facade is stucco and is resplendent in green, white, and gold. The art collection was begun by Catherine the Great, but also represents the acquisitions of seven czars as well as collections confiscated from private citizens after the 1917 revolution.
It was a Saturday and people were everywhere. The gigantic square outside was packed with people. There was a huge soundstage. What was going on? Well, it seems that the following Tuesday would be the 299th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg and the city fathers decided to hold the celebration today so more people could attend. I thought that this was a madhouse, but then I realized that these people were singing and dancing and smiling, not standing grim-faced while tanks and guns and rockets rolled by. Maybe this old world will make it after all -- at least this part of it.
It had been a wonderful two days in spite of those "politicians" who had delayed us.
We had seen marvelous works of art and a great old city starting to shake herself free and rise out of the ashes of communism. Now it was time to sail to Estonia.
Return To The Index
What the Louvre is to Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art is to New York, the Hermitage is to St. Petersburg.
It would take months to see it all, but even with the crowds of people, we saw works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, and Rubens as well as rooms filled with the art of Gaugin, Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, and Rodin. The building was commissioned by Empress Elizabeth in 1754 and the impressive three-story baroque masterpiece has 1786 doors, 1945 windows, 1057 halls and rooms, and 117 staircases. The facade is stucco and is resplendent in green, white, and gold. The art collection was begun by Catherine the Great, but also represents the acquisitions of seven czars as well as collections confiscated from private citizens after the 1917 revolution.
It was a Saturday and people were everywhere. The gigantic square outside was packed with people. There was a huge soundstage. What was going on? Well, it seems that the following Tuesday would be the 299th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg and the city fathers decided to hold the celebration today so more people could attend. I thought that this was a madhouse, but then I realized that these people were singing and dancing and smiling, not standing grim-faced while tanks and guns and rockets rolled by. Maybe this old world will make it after all -- at least this part of it.
It had been a wonderful two days in spite of those "politicians" who had delayed us.
We had seen marvelous works of art and a great old city starting to shake herself free and rise out of the ashes of communism. Now it was time to sail to Estonia.
Return To The Index