Postcard of the Pavlovsk Palace. The main part of the palace is to the right, with a long wing to the left. There is a courtyard in front of the palace, lined with trees. The Pavlovsk Palace near St Petersburg was commissioned by Paul I, Emperor of Russia. The palace was occupied by German forces for two years during the Second World War. Most of the furniture and artworks had been removed by curators in the weeks leading up to the German advance and consequently survived, enabling the palace to be restored after the war.