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The Hermitage Theatre, commissioned by Catherine II and designed by architect Giacomo Quarenghi, was built during the years 1783-1787. The building is noted for the harmony and balance of its architectural forms and is a beautiful example of late 18th century Russian Classicism. The rusticated windows of the ground floor have key-stones decorated with lion masks, one of the favourite devices of Quarenghi. The well-proportioned columns at the level of the first floor are flanked by projections (risalitas) with statues of playwrights and poets of Ancient Greece in the niches. As seen from the embankment, the Hermitage Theatre together with the adjacent Hermitage bridge and arch over the Winter Canal form a wonderful cityscape.