The General Staff building, a prominent architectural landmark in the very centre of St. Petersburg, was
designed by Carlo Rossi and built in 1820–1830. Erected across from the imperial residence – the Winter Palace
– the magnificent classical edifice of the General Staff completed the harmonious look of Palace Square and its
status as the administrative heart of the imperial capital. The western wing of the building housed the
General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, while the easterly wing was reserved for the Ministry of Finance and
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire.
On display in the rooms of the General Staff are numerous notable specimens of Russian and European painting,
sculpture and applied arts from the 19th though 21st centuries.
The State Hermitage was rated the best museum in Europe and one of the world’s top three in 2016. When they
visit St. Petersburg, many international travellers admit that the Hermitage alone “makes it worthwhile to
visit Russia and St. Petersburg.”
The business programme of the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum has been hosted by the General Staff
Affiliate of the State Hermitage every year for nine years. We are proud of our long-standing partnership with
the State Hermitage - it inspires us to set sights on new, greater goals.
