St George's Hall (also referred to as the Great Throne Room) is one of the largest state rooms in the Winter Palace. It is located on the eastern side of the palace, and connected to the Hermitage by the smaller Apollo Room.
St George's Hall, served as the palace's principal throne room, it was the scene of many of the most formal ceremonies of the Imperial court.
This was were the opening of the First State Duma by Nicholas II, in 1906 was held. The Tsar was forced to agree to the establishment of a Duma as a concession to his people in an attempt to avert revolution. However, the Imperial family saw it as "the end of Russian autocracy".