ornamentation. It is an outstanding example of 
the 18th - century Baroque architecture, 
created, in Rastrelli's own words, “exclusively to 
glorify Russia”. The palace was designed as a 
closed quadrangle with a spacious inner court. 
Its facades face the Neva, the |Admiralty|Custom1|O:8| and 
|Palace Square|Custom1|O:116|; in the center of the square 
Rastrelli planned to put up an equestrian statue 
of Peter I. At present the Winter Palace Houses 
the |Hermitage|Custom1|W:173| museum, which is one of the 
largest in the world