POTD: The "Other" Hermitage

From 2018 08 13 Catherine Palace

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the Hermitage at the Catherine Palace outside St Petersburg, Russia. It's a totally different Hermitage than the famous art museum of the Winter Palace. I know, I know, St. Petersburg is so stuffed with treasures that they cannot even find unambiguous names for everthing. In this case, hermitage means a retreat or sanctuary. It's a totally separate building from the palace, smaller of course, but still large and luxurious in any modern sense. It was used by the tsars for summer parties.

POTD: Ceramic Stove

From 2018 08 13 Catherine Palace

Today's photo-of-the-day is of a ceramic stove inside the Catherine Palace outside St Petersburg, Russia. I don't know how these worked, as there was no obvious chimney. Also of interest are the cheek-by-jowl paintings covering the walls.

POTD: The Hall of Lights

From 2018 08 13 Catherine Palace

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the ballroom, the Hall of Lights, in the Catherine Palace outside St Petersburg, Russia. What can be said? Lavish to the point of excess.

A bonus photo after the jump.

POTD: Golden Onion Domes

From 2018 08 13 Catherine Palace

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the church that is part of the Catherine Palace outside St Petersburg, Russia. One thing that surprised this tourist is not only how many churches there are in Russia, but how many survived 75 years of Communism. Many have been restored as national treasures. Some have been re-sanctified as churches. Others have been restored as museums.

POTD: Ekaterina I

From 2018 08 13 Catherine Palace

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Catherine Palace outside St Petersburg, Russia. It was the summer home of the tsars. It was named after Peter the Great's wife and successor, Empress Catherine I (not the later Catherine the Great, who began the Hermitage art collection in the Winter Palace that we've seen in previous POTDs). There are so many palaces and tsars and tsarinas that tourists can be forgiven for not keeping them all straight.

Bonus photo after the jump.