The Year of Spain in Russia and the Year of Russia in Spain opened

President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and King of Spain Juan Carlos I opened the Year of Russia in Spain and the Year of Spain in Russia in the State Hermitage Museum on 25 February 2011.

The solemn ceremony held in St George’s Hall of the Winter Palace was attended by Queen Sofia of Spain, Russia’s First Lady Svetlana Vladimirovna Medvedeva, Governor of Saint Petersburg Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko and other officials and members of business and cultural circles.

Later D. A. Medvedev and Juan Carlos I accompanied by Director of the State Hermitage Museum M. B. Piotrovsky visited the exhibition of the Prado Museum in the Hermitage.

On the same day the President of Russia signed a Decree on Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the State Hermitage Museum.

King and Queen of Spain and President of Russia and his wife

At the solemn ceremony

At the exhibition of the Prado Museum in the Hermitage