Winter Palace: The Revolution Wine Riot

In 1917, soldiers discovered "the largest wine cellar in the world." They shot barrels, poured wine down drains (people drank from gutters), and threw bottles in the Neva (crowds jumped in). Only martial law stopped the rampage.

What to do there

3 things to do

1. 1 Enter the Hermitage History · Price: moderate

   Book Hermitage tickets online (hermitagemuseum.org). The Winter Palace is now the main Hermitage building. In November 1917, revolutionaries stormed this palace and discovered what some called "the largest wine cellar in the world."

   Backup: If online booking fails, arrive early for on-site tickets (expect queues).

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2. 2 Find the Wine Story History · Free

   The cellars held bottles of Tokay from Catherine the Great's era. Bolsheviks tried to destroy it - shot barrels, poured wine down drains. People drank from the gutters. Crowds jumped into the Neva to retrieve bottles thrown in. Only martial law stopped the rampage. The cellar is not open to the public, but ask guides about the 1917 wine riot.

   Backup: The audio guide covers palace history in detail.

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3. 3 Toast at a Nevsky Prospect Bar Wine · Price: moderate · Optional

   After the museum, walk to Nevsky Prospect (15 min). Find a champagne bar - Mansarda or Cococo are upscale options. Order Sovetskoye Shampanskoye (Soviet champagne) for irony, or imported French for quality.

   Backup: If bars are closed, Yeliseev's food hall on Nevsky sells champagne in an ornate Art Nouveau setting.

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