Catherine the Great

The Romanov dynasty was founded in the 17th century and reigned for over 300 years. Under enlightened absolutist monarch Catherine the Great, the Empire had its Golden Age, during which it expanded its territory by military strength and increased its presence in Europe. But Catherine the Great strove not only to expand the Empire's territory, but also introduced internal policies to govern the large Empire more efficiently. She not only reformed local governments, but also furthered the establishment of Boards of Public Welfare and elementary education institutions. However, she also put down Pugachev's Rebellion which had demanded the abolition of the harsh serfdom system. The sand sculpture depicts Pugachev, who had lead peasants and cossacks in the rebellion, being captured by Catherine the Great. With regards to culture, Catherine the Great also founded the Small Hermitage to house her collection of paintings, sculptures and other artworks. The Small Hermitage was the first part of what is now the Hermitage Museum.