The Palace Behind Nature is the Fondation Deutsch de la Meurthe. This Foundation was the result of a private initiative by the wealthy entrepreneur Émile Deutsch de la Meurthe, and it was the first building constructed in the Cité internationale. Construction began in May 1923, and the doors opened in the spring of 1925. Architect Lucien Bechmann drew his inspiration from English colleges such as Oxford. In 1998, the roofs, gardens and paving stone terraces, along with the entry hall and the great room in the central building were listed on the registry of historic monuments.