Palais d'Hiver Incense

An icy mist floats over the Neva. Suddenly, the rising sun lights up the sumptuous facade of the Winter Palace. Through the tall windows, its rays illuminate the stucco and the rich gilding of the ballrooms. The air is imbued with the scent of the tsarinas: an exuberance of musky patchouli mixed with the delicious perfume of white flowers.