St. Petersburg, Russia Tuesday, June 13, 2017

 

 

After breakfast we headed to the famed Hermitage Museum.  Formerly
a royal residence, the Hermitage is now home to one of the finest collections
of art in the world. Nat geo had arranged for us to enter the museum hours before it opens its doors to the public, which was fabulous!   We got to view the winding of the Peacock Clock, followed by the first look of the day at some of the 3,000 pieces of art, including masterpieces by Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Cezanne, and Picasso.   The Peacock Clock appears like a gilded garden, but on certain days the 18th century timepiece-automaton still springs into mechanical life.  The elegant clock dates to 1777 when it was commissioned from noted automaton builder Englishman James Cox. It arrived in Russia in 1797 and was for a time owned by Prince Grigory Potemkin, the secret husband of Catherine the Great. Since the 18th century it was been delighting visitors with its spectacle of three singing birds — an owl, a peacock, and a rooster — and is now the only large example of 18th century robotics to have survived unaltered into the 21st century.  The clock begins its show with some eerie chime music to which the owl turns its head. Then the peacock gracefully turns its neck and lifts its tail slowly before quickly turning around to display its fan of golden feathers. The spectacle concludes with the crowing of a rooster below. The cycle is meant to represent the end of night and the rise of the sun, suggesting the continuity of life. The actual dial of the clock is hidden in a mushroom, and a squirrel, fox, and other creatures can be spied among the metal foliage.

The museum owns over one million pieces of art but only displays about 10% at any one time.  We had a private tour of the Treasures Galleries which contains the Hermitage’s most valuable collections of jewelry and gold.

We had lunch at Mansarda Restaurant and then walked back to the hotel for downtime.  Jim went out on a solo photography walk and I took a nap.

Tonight we had a Gala dinner at Vladimir Palace, located on the Neva River.  One of the last Imperial palaces to be built in St. Petersburg, the Palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich was built between 1867 and 1872 and lies just east of the Winter Palace and the Hermitage.  The palace has a simple, almost boring facade which is a stark contrast to the wonderfully preserved interiors, where there is a broad range of styles and periods, from neo-gothic to rococo to oriental.  It was an amazing location that was privately opened for us so we could tour it and then have dinner and entertainment.  We started with drinks out on the balcony overlooking the river and touring about the Palace.  As we ascended the stairway for dinner a Harpist was playing.  Then as we entered the Ballroom, an entire orchestra started playing!  Shortly thereafter we had Opera performances by 2 singers.  After that a series of Ballet dancers performed.  It was an unbelievable evening.  I’m always amazed at all the little surprises Nat Geo plans along the way on our trips.  It was pouring rain so hard as we left that we could barely see the river, but no one cared after having vodka and wine!

I’m going to miss the view from our balcony here at the hotel.  Love seeing the Hermitage, the spire of the Admiralty, the beautiful park across the street and Palace Square from our balcony.  The Four Seasons is in the best location.
Overnight: Four Seasons Hotel Lion’s Palace St. Petersburg

State Hermitage Museum
St. Petersburg’s most popular visitor attraction, and one of the world’s largest and most prestigious museums. There are over 3 million items in its collection, from Impressionist masterpieces to fascinating Oriental treasures. One estimate has it that you would need eleven years to view each exhibit on display for just one minute.
The bulk of the Hermitage collection is housed in the Winter Palace, formerly the official residence of the Romanov Tsars, and its several annexes. However, there are a number of other sites that constitute part of the Hermitage, including the recently opened Storage Facility in the north of St. Petersburg, which offers guided tours through some of the museum’s vast stocks.

 

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