Grand Courtyard of the Winter Palace — Online Webcam

Grand Courtyard of the Winter Palace — Online Webcam

The Grand Courtyard of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg is a historical space between the facades of the main building of the State Hermitage Museum. Today, the live webcam shows this place in real time, allowing you to see the detailed picture of cobblestones, white columns, and architectural details. In the foreground are metal hatches on the paved square, on the right is a facade with an arched entrance and a green plastered wall, on the left and in the background is a green facade with white decorative elements. The courtyard features trees, flower beds with plants, street lamps, information stands, and chain-link fences. The camera shows the Grand Courtyard from the Palace Square side, where the main gates lead to the museum.

History of the Grand Courtyard

The history of the Grand Courtyard dates back to the second half of the 18th century. Inside the square formed by the facades of the Winter Palace, a space for ceremonial entrances was already arranged at that time. From its creation, this courtyard served as the main entrance to the palace, reflecting its important significance in the architectural layout of the city.

Evolution of the Courtyard Space

Important changes occurred in the 19th century. In 1885, according to the design of architect N.A. Gornostaev, a landscape garden was laid out in the courtyard, with a fountain at its center. This transformed the strict ceremonial space into a more picturesque zone, combining historical grandeur with elements of garden and park art. The idea of making the main entrance to the museum through the Grand Courtyard from the Palace Square side emerged much later — in 1994.

Area and Architectural Features

Today, the area of the Grand Courtyard is about 11,000 sq.m. This is a significant space that serves as a multifunctional venue. The impressive architectural design: the inner facades of the palace facing the courtyard have three entrances, the middle of which is the ceremonial one leading to the Ambassadors' Staircase. The facade is painted in a sea-wave green shade, the columns and window frames are white, and the stucco masks and shells have a bronze tint.

Entrance to the Museum through the Grand Courtyard

Today's visitor has the opportunity to enter the State Hermitage from the Palace Square side. The checkpoint is located in the arch of the Main Gate of the Winter Palace, making the Grand Courtyard one of the main entrance routes to the museum complex. Since 2003, the Grand Courtyard has been open to the public and today serves as a regular route for tourists.

Modern Function of the Space

Today, the Grand Courtyard is a multifunctional open space organically integrated into the historical ensemble. Ticket terminals are located here, making museum entry as convenient as possible for visitors. In 2003, the Hermitage sent 142 items from its collection on loan to the University of Michigan Museum of Art under the title "The Romanov Collection: European Art from the Hermitage."

Architectural Details on the Webcam

The webcam allows you to examine many architectural details. The cobblestones in the foreground, metal hatches, the arched main entrance with white columns, the green facade with white window frames, decorative masks and elements on the columns. Street lamps on tall poles, neat flower beds and trees add picturesque quality to the space.

What's Visible on the Camera

The webcam shows the Grand Courtyard from the Palace Square side. The space is bounded by the facades of the Winter Palace forming a square. The cobblestones of the paved square in the foreground with metal hatches and the arched main entrance. On the right is a section of the facade with white columns and an arched opening, a green wall. On the left and in the background is the green palace facade with white decorative elements and columns. The courtyard features trees, flower beds, and street lamps. There are information stands with schedules and temporary chain-link fences. The entrance to the Hermitage is through the arch of the Main Gate, where a checkpoint is located. Ticket terminals are visible on the webcam.