How many ‘Hermitages’ are there in Russia?
The word ‘Hermitage’ is translated from French as “a place of seclusion”. But, it so happens that, first of all, it is associated with the main museum of Russia – a luxurious and, by no means secluded, palace located in the center of St. Petersburg.
The name comes from the Small Hermitage Palace, built by order of Catherine the Great. There, the empress kept her collection of works of art. Later, it spread to the entire complex of buildings on Palace Square, which became part of the museum.
However, many places throughout the country bear the name ‘Hermitage’. It’s (most likely) not possible to count them all – every now and then another ‘Hermitage’ cafe or affiliate will appear somewhere. So, we’ve just listed the most famous ones.
St. Petersburg
The State Hermitage Museum consists of a complex of buildings of the same name, among which are the Large (Old) Hermitage, Small Hermitage and New Hermitage. Also, it has a hotel under the same name, as well as the Hermitage Theater.
State Hermitage Museum, Winter Palace -
The Peterhof State-Museum Reserve and the Catherine Park that belongs to the Tsarskoye Selo Museum-Reserve in the adjacent town of Pushkin have pavilions called ‘Hermitage’.
Hermitage Pavilion in Peterhof
Hermitage Pavilion in the Catherine Park
Pushkin itself also has a historic pavilion called the ‘Hermitage Kitchen’.
Pushkin. Hermitage Kitchen
On top of that, in 2000, radio station ‘Hermitage’ hit the airwaves in the Northern Capital, where you can listen to broadcasts about the main museum, as well as to jazz and blues compositions.
Moscow
‘Hermitage’ is the name of a garden in the center of the capital, as well as the theater located in it. The garden itself was opened in 1894 under the name ‘New Hermitage’.
The Hermitage Garden
There’s also a pavilion called ‘Hermitage’ – which really is quite secluded – in the Kuskovo museum estate.
The Hermitage in Kuskovo
By the way, until the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, Moscow also had a restaurant called ‘Hermitage’, where Lucien Olivier, creator of the iconic New Year salad, once worked as a chef.
The building of the restaurant "Hermitage", about 1900-1901.
Kazan
The exhibition space ‘Hermitage-Kazan’ was opened in 2005 on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin Museum Reserve – the first representative office of the St. Petersburg museum. The city also has a park of the same name near Tuqay Square.
Hermitage-Kazan Center
Vyborg
From 2010, the ‘Hermitage-Vyborg’ exhibition center has been operating there, which is also a part of the St. Petersburg Hermitage Museum structure.
Hermitage-Vyborg
Omsk
In 2019, ‘Hermitage-Siberia’ opened within the walls of the Omsk Mikhail Vrubel Museum – the third representative office of the St. Petersburg Hermitage.
Building of the Hermitage Siberia Center in Omsk
Yekaterinburg
The capital of the Urals has another satellite of the State Hermitage Museum – the ‘Hermitage-Ural’ cultural and educational center. It opened in 2021 and, at the same time, it serves as part of the Yekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts.
The building of the Hermitage-Ural cultural and educational center in Yekaterinburg
Tula
The capital of Russian weapons manufacturing also has its own ‘Hermitage’: this time, it’s a Russian drama theater, which received its name in 2010.
Tula's Hermitage Theater
Pyatigorsk
Even Stavropol Territory has a ‘Hermitage’. A hotel of the same name was built there in 1908, but it was only in operation for less than a decade.
