It's no accident that Pokrovsky Cathedral is considered to be major cathedral among Orthodox believers. The history of cathedral;the was hard. But time set things straight and today hundreds of people come to the Cathedral, to make a bow to the saints relics and to pray to the icons of the Holy Virgin.
St. Basil's Cathedral was built in the classical style as the Catholic Church of the trinitarian monastery, in the years 1806-21 on the place where wooden church was situated. A two-storey monastery building became stone in 1806. After the uprising of 1831 the church was closed, and its monks habitants were expelled from the city. The former residence of the monastic transformed into a orphan's shelter. Six years later women prison was set up in the building, and it existed here for many years.
Former church building remained empty for a long time. Finally it was given to the Orthodox Church, and reconstruction started there. Rebuilding expenditures were covered by first guild merchant Gregory Volkovich. The works were completed in 1865. During construction there were no serious changes in building's architecture. The temple was dedicated in honor of the Holy Virgin.
On the Romanov dynasty's anniversary church was rebuilt once again. At this time, the drum with a dome was built over the central part of the temple. Also two towers were built and modified form of the gable with a triangular to semicircular was added. In 1930, church was closed by the Soviet authorities.
During the German occupation of the city, some churches were opened again. Pokrovsky Cathedral was no exception.
In August 1941, the relics of Euphrasinya Polotskaya were transferred here.
During military operations the church building was damaged: the tower, dome, the roof. After the war the building was not restored, but it wasn't destroyed either- it gradually make the time.
On the September 25 patriarch Aleksiy have visited the church. This event reminds memorial plaque, placed on the western facade of the building. 27 September 2009 the next Patriarch Russia - Kirill have visited the cathedral.
Cathedral also have the sisterhood, the parish library, sunday school, icon painting and sewing workshop, refectory.
Temple was painted by Moscow painter Vladimir Alexandrovich Sidelnikov, a member of the Russian Union of Artists.