Question about "The Gold Room" at the Winter Palace.

[kennetro]

I realize I'm showing my ignorance here, but can someone tell me what's in the "Gold Room" at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg?? I've been given 2 separate answers elsewhere. I've been told that it's where the Russian Treasury keeps it's gold and I've been told that it's just a lot of gold jewelry & artifacts. A tour guide I've emailed said they charge an additional $110 per person to gain entry into the gold room. Has anyone done it? Was it worth it?? Any light anyone might shed is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[kruzseeka]

Yes, we've been to the Gold Room. It's a series of rooms where there are some of the most precious and amazing artefacts and jewellery from a wide range of cultures and times. There are jewel encrusted items, examples of Faberge, ceremonial cloaks and swords dripping with huge jewels. It really is amazing - so much to see and take in that we've done it twice. One exhibit is a pair of gold earrings from Egyptian times - they have a magnifying glass so you can look more closely at the detail. The skill involved is staggering and so intricate. The glass display unit housing some cloaks has rather subdued lighting, we were told, because with ordinary lighting it would dazzle you so much you wouldn't be able to see the items properly!

 

Your entry to the Gold Room is on a timed basis. You are split into small groups of about 12 and are escorted by guides from the Museum (your own guide stays outside and waits) who show you the most impressive and memorable pieces and explain their importance. The visit to the Gold Room lasts about half an hour but you would need much longer to really appreciate everything.

 

As for cost, we did it as a half-day 4-hour trip from the ship which, allowing for transfers, meant we must have spent over 3 hours in the Hermitage (included the visit to the Gold Room) for £39. So that makes the $110 look a bit steep (even with the current weakness of the £ !!!!!). Perhaps there is something more involved with the trip you've been quoted for.

 

I would definitely recommend a visit to the Hermitage which included the Gold Room though.

[kennetro]

Thank you so much Kruzseeka!! That's exactly what i was hoping it is. It sounds fascinating.

[dog]

I toured in Sept. 2007 with R.O. a company you can see adver...on this site for.

 

We did a 2 day tour with them and in addition to our tour fee we paid an extra $15 U.S. each to include the Gold Room.

 

I felt it was worth it. Same description as previous poster re: what you see.

[kennetro]

Thanks dog, but now I'm really confused as it was Red Oktober that actually quoted us the "additional $220 USD" for a party of two to enter the gold room. I'm wondering now if that was a typo?

[AG Cruisers]

Alla quoted us $20pp, so I'm sure it was just a typo. We're going in July.

[dog]

email them again at R.O. and get it all in writing before you book

[NVCLVR]

My dtr & I had been to the Hermitage on the "usual" tour path in 2005; however, in 2007, arranged for a pvt tour w/Denrus (just the 2 of us) & we requested a tour of the Gold & Treasure Rooms. I believe the surcharge was just $15pp. It was well worth it! Magnificent gold work from the Scinthian (spelling?) era, plus breathtaking "trappings"..i.e. even the horse blankets were jewel encrusted! You end up in a jewel room that contains a collection of jewel-encrusted snuff boxes, among other things. We were also able to view other areas of the Hermitage that were off the "beaten tour paths". I believe the general admission to the Hermitage was built into our pvt tour package, but there was that surcharge for the Gold room tour (nowhere near what you were quoted @ $110!). We can't wait to return because there's just too much to see in just one or two visits.

[MercedMike]

Our private tour with Denrus included the Gold Room. As others have said, you are admitted in small groups with a private docent to take you around. The first part is the Scythian gold -- ancient treasure troves from the horsemen who lived around the black Sea. The craftsmanship is amazing and the symbolism is truly wonderful. The great deer with the antlers flowing over its back is an image you may have seen, perhaps without knowing where it came from. That part was, personally, the most interesting.

 

The other part is not the "crown jewels," but it is a collection of diplomatic gifts to the Russian government. There are many beautiful and varied things including a wide collection of oriental gold and jade pieces.

 

The whole thing takes maybe half an hour to tour and is well worth it. It was included in our package quote, but I am sure it was nowhere near $100 pp. extra.

 

I sincerely recommend you take the extra time to tour the Gold room.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[Leejnd4]

Has anyone been to both the Gold Room in St P, and the Gold Room in Moscow? We're taking the one-day tour to Moscow, then will be visiting the Hermitage during our two-day tour of St. P. Someone mentioned that if we see the Gold Room in Moscow, we really don't need to see the one in St. P. Any feedback?

[TLCOhio]

Has anyone been to both the Gold Room in St P, and the Gold Room in Moscow? We're taking the one-day tour to Moscow, then will be visiting the Hermitage during our two-day tour of St. P. Someone mentioned that if we see the Gold Room in Moscow, we really don't need to see the one in St. P. Any feedback?

 

As the "guilty party" who brought up this point/question, there is NOT an area called the "Gold Room" in Moscow at the Kremlin. But within the Armoury Chamber, there is a spectacular treasure-house as a part of the Grand Kremlin Palace’s complex. It is situated in the building constructed in 1851. The museum collections were based on the precious items that had been preserved for centuries in the tsars’ treasury and the Patriarch’s vestry. Some of the exhibits were made in the Kremlin’s workshops, others were accepted as ambassadorial gifts. The museum was named after one of the oldest Kremlin’s treasury stores.

 

The Armoury Chamber preserves ancient state regalia, ceremonial tsar’s vestments and coronation dress, vestments of the Russian Orthodox Church’s hierarchs, the largest collection of gold and silverware by Russian craftsmen, West European artistic silver, ceremonial weapons and arms, carriages, horse ceremonial harness. PLUS, lots of "eggs" by court jeweller Carl Faberge, the basic part of which are world famous Easter surprises. These famed Faberge eggs are only in Moscow and not in St. Petersburg.

 

The State Armoury presents more than four thousands items of applied art of Russia, European and Eastern countries of IV-early XX centuries. The highest artistic level and particular historical and cultural value of the exhibits have made the State Armoury of the Moscow Kremlin a world-wide known museum.

 

You can go to http://www.kremlin.museum.ru and see more details on what is there at this super great repository for the historic treasures of Russia. If you are seeing these in Moscow, doing the Gold Room at the Hermitage might not be as high of a priority at the Hermitage. Both are great, but there is so much that is super in both cities and you do not have time to do it ALL in each city.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[xyzamyc]

Red October just quoted me the $220 price for the gold room as well. Does anyone know, is this a typo?

[belle907]

Red October just quoted me the $220 price for the gold room as well. Does anyone know, is this a typo?

Was this price in dollars per person or in rubles per person?

I think we paid about $10. per person last year, which would have been about 220 rubles per person.

[xyzamyc]

The price is in US dollars. I finally got to the bottom of this and no thanks to Red October who just kept cutting and pasting the quote back to me 3 times!!

 

There are 2 ways to see the gold room:

 

1) Just like everyone else you take your chance that day and try to sign up. There's a 90-95% chance you will get in.

 

2) You can have your private guide show you the gold room. Which has a fee per group of about 100-200 USD depending on the tour company.

 

As far as I know, only Anatasia is willing to offer both options. As we were a small group, we booked with Anatasia and took option 1. If you are a large group it doesn't matter as much, but this is a key point to consider if you really want to see the gold room.