Lost treasures of the Hermitage

One of the main treasures of St. Petersburg is the State Hermitage. One of the largest art museums in the world. It houses more than a million works of fine and applied art. Empress Catherine II (reign: 1762-1796) made a huge contribution, but the collection of treasures was not destined to be replenished with the works of Dutch painters. In 1771, the Dutch ship Frau Maria left Amsterdam for St. Petersburg with a cargo of unique works of art acquired by Catherine II at an Amsterdam auction for the Hermitage and Tsarskoye Selo from the heirs of the famous Dutch philanthropist and collector Gerrit Braamkamp. The treasures were loaded in the hold of the vessel Frau Maria. On the night of October 9, the ship departed from the shore of the city of Turku (at that time the city of Abo), got into a severe storm, ran into a rock and sank. Finnish fishermen rushed to the place of the tragedy, but it was no longer possible to save the treasure. The lead boxes in which the paintings were packed were unaffordable. At the moment, the discussion about the rights and future of cultural property is not over.

In the city on the Neva there are many treasures and many amazing stories.

And the main treasures of St. Petersburg are its guests and residents!