Guess where?….Looks Italian, maybe even Spanish…well it does have that Mediterranean look about it. But you would be well off beam.
In fact you need to head a good deal further north…all the way to Russia.
It is the Hanging Gardens of The Small Hermitage part of the huge Hermitage Complex on the banks of the River Neva in Saint Petersburg.
The Hermitage is a assembly of historic buildings that includes the Winter Palace, which now form one of the oldest and largest museums with collections of world famous art and artefacts. Its creation, in 1764, was the idea of Catherine the Great as a private collection but was opened to the public in 1852.
The Hanging Gardens were originally created to link many of the different buildings of the museum and is actually built on the roof above the first floor.
The size of this spectacular museum is difficult to convey so lets repeat the ‘brag’ of the Hermitage itself….There are far more treasures in store than you will get to see on display. Even so you will be overwhelmed and exhausted on any visit.
The Hermitage viewed from the River Neva, St. Petersburg
15th January
(C) David Oakes 2016
DAVID OAKES - IMAGES. 