The Palace Pictures, Part I: Pre-Palace

I made sure I took a few pictures of the House of Scientists and its immediate vicinity. The former palace is on the Dvortsovaya emb. and the street behind it is Millionnaya Ul. It's pretty much right around the corner from the Winter Palace (which houses, in part, the Hermitage museum) and Palace Square. Because the conference hosts are renting it out, we can take pictures of it for "free." Normally, visitors to the palace, must pay to take photos. If I had to pay for photos, there wouldn't be any. So, enjoy!

Since I can only upload about five pictures per post, this will be in two parts. The streets around the palace and then some interior shots.

The Winter Palace and/or the Hermitage is/are pictured here (I'm not sure which is which). Lots of buildings in Russia are covered with this green netting and undergoing facelifts. Many, many more are in need of the same treatment. The cat licking itself is one of several that make this area their home.

Millionnaya Ul. is home to Nicholas I's New Hermitage (a bunch of Atlases hold up the front portico). Further down the street is one of the many canals cutting through the city (pictured at the top of the post).