The finest rooms in Pavlovsk’s Great Palace are on the middle floor of the central block. Cameron designed the round Italian Hall beneath the dome and the Grecian Hall to its west, though the lovely green fluted columns were added by his assistant Vincenzo Brenna. Flanking these are two private suites designed mainly by Brenna – Paul’s along the north side of the block and Maria Fyodorovna’s on the south.
The Hall of War of the insane, military-obsessed Paul contrasts with Maria’s Hall of Peace, decorated with musical instruments and flowers. On the middle floor of the south block are Paul’s Throne Room and the Hall of the Maltese Knights of St John, of whom he was the Grand Master.
