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.
Plyos is a quiet, old city tucked away in the dense forests in Ivanovo Oblast on the right bank of the Volga River. Even six centuries after its founding the city has managed to preserve the original beauty that the forests and water have to offer. Plyos’ breathtaking landscapes have caught the eye of many famous artists, however gained the most glory thanks to the work of Isaac Levitan, who painted many of his great works here. Nowadays Plyos is home to about 40 artists who all share the desire to be one with nature, capturing it firsthand at different times throughout the year.