The Pavlovsk Palace served as the residence of Paul the First, however the true head of the house seemed to be his wife, Maria Feodorovna, who put all of her love and care into the modestly-sized palace. Unlike the other palaces in the suburbs of St. Petersburg, this palace is not dripping of luxury, but gives off an air of great taste in each of its small details. The wonderful collections of paintings, furniture, porcelain and antique statues and clocks help to create a cosy atmosphere. Unfortunately, the residence was not always in such great condition — during World War II the palace was almost completely destroyed. Luckily, the love another woman, Anna Zelenovaya, had for the palace proved enough to help the palace regain its greatness through valiant restoration efforts.