Because I have too many damn photos from the past two weeks, I'm going to split up the posts. First up is the Hermitage Museum, and pictures of the Summer Palace of the Tsarinas in Tsarskoye Selo, about 45 minutes from St. Petersburg. Here we go! Note: The Hermitage is located within the Winter Palace.





The Hermitage's room dedicated to Russia's War of 1812 when Napoleon decided to invade, and failed. I don't know the official name of the war, but it's the one Tolstoy wrote War and Peace about.



A Buddhist prayer booth



A real-live DaVinci! I forgot the title, but so did everyone else, since this painting was named after its owner. Amazing.



Another DaVinci. Indescribable.



The gilded dining room of the Tsars, in the Winter Palace.



The outside of the Winter Palace.



Icons? In a Russian museum? Who would have expected this?!



German knights in shining armor!



Greek mosaic floor in Catherine the Great's quarters



Another shot of the exterior of the palace. I admit that the photos are out of order, but it doesn't really matter.



If you were Russian royalty, this is where you would have chilled.



Russia's greatest tsar, Peter the Great, walking alongside a Muse.



Aside from being a great ninja turtle, Raphael also did some nice paintings.



Raphael also made amazing frescoes in Venice, which were reproduced in the Hermitage.



More frescoes!



An explanation on the frescoes. They're really something in real life.



Enter the Hermitage, and this is what you'll see.



Stunning statue room at the Hermitage.



Royal dining area. GOLD GOLD GOLD.

Now it's on to Tsarskoye Selo and the Summer Palace...



Russia's favorite (and argued, greatest) poet, Alexander Pushkin, went to school near the small town royal playground. Thus, his bust.



There's just never enough of Pushkin!



Outside the Palace. Prime real estate!



A closer look at the exterior. Here's where I should note that the Nazis burned most of it to the ground, and the Soviet government as well as today's government, have worked extremely hard to restore it. Stupid Nazis.



A haunting ballroom of gold and mirrors.



If you were Russian royalty, you'd have played chess with this set.



Russian architecture rocks the rococo.



Outside, a man feeds a pigeon.