The Hermitage. The Winter Palace. The home of Russian royalty. I got chills just standing in front of the expansive building in front of me.
This was by far and away the most impressive part of St. Petersburg. The fact that people once actually lived like this, it blows me away. We spent an entire day there and still didn't see it all. I feel that even if I lived there I still wouldn't be able to see it all in one lifetime.
The camera couldn't capture the entire palace, it goes on for meters and meters on both ends. Roman, our tour guide, mentioned that all the palaces in St. Petersburg were painted bright colors on the outside, like this vibrant blue, because St. Petersburg is grey and gloomy 80% of the year, so the palaces brighten up the city.
Hallways were so long and decorated that they were basically rooms all on their own.
The ceilings were the best part, if you didn't look up you missed half the room. I felt like my father the whole time because I couldn't stop admiring the crown molding in each room!
And for royalty, one chandelier per room is not enough.
The throne room was my favorite room though. This is just a close up of the throne itself but the chamber stretched maybe a football field's worth behind me.
If you ever find yourself in Russia, dedicate a day to visiting the Hermitage. It's worth every minute.