In the 18th century, the small pavillion that had been built for Catherine the Great as a retreat on the grounds of the palace was called the little hermitage. She decorated its walls with valuable paintings that she had been purchasing with great vigour since 1764. Over time, the other sections of the imperial art collection were also referred to as hermitage and today the Hermitage that is located across the river bank from the Peter and Paul fortress is one of the world's greatest art museums. The numbers are impressive: The museum is host to over 3.5 million visitors annually and of the five buildings, the Winter Palace alone has 1057 rooms and 117 staircases. If at times you might believe you are the only tourist in St. Petersburg, go to the entrance of the Heremitage in the morning and you will be advised otherwise.