An imperial residence, a museum, a monument to splendour and opulence—Russia’s Hermitage is more than just a building. In this lively survey of its 250-year history, we'll travel back in time and discuss how this international landmark has reflected St. Petersburg’s development from a swampy backwater into a dazzling imperial capital. Beginning with Peter the Great’s decision to establish a new imperial capital in St. Petersburg, the course will examine how Catherine the Great, a self-proclaimed art and architecture addict, continued Peter’s project of Europeanization and ultimately transformed St. Petersburg into one of the world’s cultural centers. We’ll explore how every subsequent tsar fashioned the Hermitage to suit his political agenda, and how the museum continues to bear witness to Russia’s fascinating and tumultuous history.

This course is led by Julia Zarankin, an award-winning lecturer who has taught on Russian and European culture at Stanford and Princeton, and locally at the Royal Conservatory of Music and the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. Recently awarded an Excellence in Teaching Award from U of T, she holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from Princeton University.

Six-week course: $63 (Members: $54, $42, Free)  Single class: $21 (Members: $17, $14, Free)

Sponsored by Hollywood Suite