<P> Since the Christianization of Kievan Rus' for several ages Russian architecture was influenced predominantly by the Byzantine architecture . Apart from fortifications (kremlins), the main stone buildings of ancient Rus' were Orthodox churches with their many domes, often gilded or brightly painted . </P> <P> Aristotle Fioravanti and other Italian architects brought Renaissance trends into Russia since the late 15th century, while the 16th century saw the development of unique tent - like churches culminating in Saint Basil's Cathedral . By that time the onion dome design was also fully developed . In the 17th century, the "fiery style" of ornamentation flourished in Moscow and Yaroslavl, gradually paving the way for the Naryshkin baroque of the 1690s . After the reforms of Peter the Great the change of architectural styles in Russia generally followed that in the Western Europe . </P> <P> The 18th - century taste for rococo architecture led to the ornate works of Bartolomeo Rastrelli and his followers . The reigns of Catherine the Great and her grandson Alexander I saw the flourishing of Neoclassical architecture, most notably in the capital city of Saint Petersburg . The second half of the 19th century was dominated by the Neo-Byzantine and Russian Revival styles . Prevalent styles of the 20th century were the Art Nouveau, Constructivism, and the Stalin Empire style . </P> <P> With the change in values imposed by communist ideology, the tradition of preservation was broken . Independent preservation societies, even those that defended only secular landmarks such as Moscow - based OIRU were disbanded by the end of the 1920s . A new anti-religious campaign, launched in 1929, coincided with collectivization of peasants; destruction of churches in the cities peaked around 1932 . A number of churches were demolished, including the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow . In Moscow alone losses of 1917--2006 are estimated at over 640 notable buildings (including 150 to 200 listed buildings, out of a total inventory of 3,500)--some disappeared completely, others were replaced with concrete replicas . </P>

When did russia become independent and from who