The State Hermitage Museum
В топике Государственный Эрмитаж я хочу рассказать вам о самом большом музее изобразительных искусств в России. Эрмитаж возник в 1764 году как частное собрание Екатерины II, после того, как ей были переданы из Берлина 225 ценных картин, которые поначалу размещались в уединенных апартаментах дворца, называвшихся Малый Эрмитаж. Сейчас музей состоит из пяти огромных зданий, где размещены картины, скульптуры и другие произведения искусства. Невозможно увидеть все представленные коллекции за одно посещение, необходимо посетить Эрмитаж несколько раз, чтобы познакомиться со всеми экспонатами.
I'd like to tell you about the Hermitage Museum, one of the largest and well known museums in the world. Two months ago together with my classmates I was on an excursion in St.Petersburg. I visited many places of interest including the Hermitage. I was very impressed by this museum of art. It was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Second when she bought 225 pictures in Berlin. Now the Hermitage consists of five buildings.
Now I'd like to tell you about paintings, sculptures and other works of art I've seen in the Hermitage Museum. A great number of wonderful paintings are offered there. Everyone can find his own favourite paintings, for example the pictures of the world's greatest masters : Michelangelo, Raphael, Rembrandt, Rubens and many others. All great schools of painting are represented there: Italian, Spanish, German, etc.
A few words about sculpture. I saw a lot of vases, statues and fountains. The most beautiful thing I have ever seen was the fountain which belonged to Alexander the Second.
Among the other outstanding pieces of art I saw was the carriage of Catherine the Second and beautiful gobelins. It took 60 years to make one of these gobelins.
In conclusion, I'd like to stress that no one can see everything during one visit. To enjoy the Hermitage Gallery you must visit it several times.
The State Hermitage in St.Petersburg is one of the world's most outstanding art museums. It is the largest fine arts museum in Russia.