A drive from the cruise port to the Hermitage provides a good overview of many sights in St. Petersburg, formerly the capital of Imperial Russia. Founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great as a private court museum, the Hermitage has evolved into the most remarkable collection of art in the world, containing more that three million objects of unparalleled importance. We tour the state rooms and a collection of art featuring Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck and many French Impressionists. By the time we leave the Hermitage, the long line to enter this museum is truly formidable.
Following lunch at a nearby restaurant, we visit St. Isaac's Cathedral. The cathedral dome, coated with more than 200 pounds of pure gold, dominates the city skyline. Enclosing a space large enough to hold 14,000 people, the walls are heavily ornamented with marble and precious and semi-precious stones as well as 200 mosaics and paintings.
As we make a photo stop at the Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood with its ornate bejeweled domes, the sun finally shines! The weather does not cooperate at the Rostral Columns, where we take a few quick pictures from beneath umbrellas. Our bus then retraces the route back to the cruise port. We look forward to a second tour day in this very unique area!
