Editing Neoclassicism (section)

=== Russia and the Soviet Union ===
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File:Дворец Шереметьева.jpg|[[Ostankino Palace]], Moscow, Russia, by [[Francesco Camporesi]], completed in 1798

Arkhangelskoe Estate Aug2012 buildings 03.jpg|[[Arkhangelskoye Estate]], Krasnogorsky District, Moscow Oblast, by [[Jacob Guerne]], unknown date
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In 1905–1914 Russian architecture passed through a brief but influential period of [[Russian neoclassical revival|Neoclassical revival]]; the trend began with recreation of Empire style of [[Alexander I of Russia|Alexandrine]] period and quickly expanded into a variety of neo-Renaissance, [[palladian architecture|Palladian]] and modernized, yet recognizably classical schools. They were led by architects born in the 1870s, who reached creative peak before World War I, like [[Ivan Fomin]], [[Vladimir Shchuko]] and [[Ivan Zholtovsky]]. When the economy recovered in the 1920s, these architects and their followers continued working in primarily [[modernism (architecture)|modernist]] environment; some (Zholtovsky) strictly followed the classical canon, others (Fomin, Schuko, [[Ilya Golosov]]) developed their own modernized styles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://content.cdlib.org/xtf/view?docId=ft1g5004bj&brand=eschol |title=The Origins of Modernism in Russian Architecture |publisher=Content.cdlib.org |access-date=2012-02-12}}</ref>

With the crackdown on architect's independence and official denial of modernism (1932), demonstrated by the international contest for the [[Palace of Soviets]], Neoclassicism was instantly promoted as one of the choices in [[Stalinist architecture]], although not the only choice. It coexisted with moderately modernist architecture of [[Boris Iofan]], bordering with contemporary [[Art Deco]] (Schuko); again, the purest examples of the style were produced by Zholtovsky school that remained an isolated phenomena. The political intervention was a disaster for [[Constructivist architecture|constructivist]] leaders yet was sincerely welcomed by architects of the classical schools.

Neoclassicism was an easy choice for the [[Soviet Union]] since it did not rely on modern construction technologies ([[steel frame]] or [[reinforced concrete]]) and could be reproduced in traditional [[masonry]]. Thus the designs of Zholtovsky, Fomin and other old masters were easily replicated in remote towns under strict material [[rationing]]. Improvement of construction technology after World War II permitted Stalinist architects to venture into skyscraper construction, although stylistically these skyscrapers (including "exported" architecture of [[Palace of Culture and Science]], Warsaw and the [[Shanghai]] International Convention Centre) share little with the classical models. Neoclassicism and neo-Renaissance persisted in less demanding residential and office projects until 1955, when [[Nikita Khrushchev]] put an end to expensive Stalinist architecture.