For many years, the future church site was a wasteland where the city’s cattle were grazed. Later, a chapel was built here, initiated by a local merchant, Kutryev. Funds for its construction were collected over a long time. The chapel was built in memory of Tsar Alexander II, who was assassinated by the Narodnaya Volya, and Alexander Nevsky was his patron saint.

After the opening of the Samara-Zlatoust railway, the city began to develop rapidly, and the population grew. It was decided to rebuild the chapel into a church, but again there were difficulties with financing. The architectural appearance of the building was resolved: the church project was completed by academician A.N. Pomerantsev, known for his works such as the project of the Upper Trading Rows in Moscow, now GUM.

Despite the lack of funds, on June 22, 1907, the temple was laid. Money for construction was donated by various organizations and individuals, including Nicholas II. The largest donation was made by Chelyabinsk miller M.P. Arkhipov. The main altar was consecrated on December 4, 1911, and of the two altar chapels, only the right one, in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, was completed and consecrated before the revolution, as funds were again insufficient. The church, built of red brick, has one floor with a basement. The interior paintings were done by the workshop of V.I. Oshipkov.

In 1922, all valuables were removed from the church, and the domes, crosses, and the bell tower's tent were taken down. In 1930, the church was closed.

Later, it housed: a newspaper workshop of the Chelyabinsk Worker printing house, an art gallery, a planetarium, and a chess club. In the early 1980s, the building was transferred to the Chelyabinsk Philharmonic.

For the 250th anniversary of Chelyabinsk, the temple was restored. For this, Pomerantsev's drawings were found. Architect K. Gusarov carried out meticulous work, updating the facade and restoring the tent and domes. For the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus, crosses were installed. The gilded crosses of the Alexander Nevsky Church became the first in the Chelyabinsk region after a long period of church destruction.

The interior of the building was transformed: the walls were decorated with panels made of marble, jasper, serpentinite, and labradorite, while the panels and floors were made of solid wood. The original window frames and doors were restored. The building was reconstructed with the installation of an organ in mind, including a specially designed air conditioning system. In 1987, an organ made by the German company Hermann Eule was installed. It has 2,504 pipes, 37 registers, three manuals, and a pedal keyboard. The organ received high praise from the musical community and became one of the best in Russia and Europe. The organ hall, accommodating 300 spectators, played an important role in the city’s musical life.

Since the 1990s, discussions about returning the building to the faithful took place. In August 2011, despite protests from the musical community and residents, the building was handed over to the Russian Orthodox Church. The last concert in the organ hall took place on November 27, 2013. The organ was moved to the former cinema building 'Rodina.'

Since 2014, the temple has been operational, with services being held, renovation work ongoing, and the interior decoration and original layout being restored. In November 2016, emergency work began to strengthen the foundation to stop its subsidence. The restoration project was developed by scientists from Yekaterinburg and Moscow. Over two years, research was conducted, and on August 12, 2016, permission was obtained for emergency and dismantling work from the State Committee for the Protection of Cultural Heritage Sites of the Chelyabinsk Region.

In the next phase, builders will restore the air connections between the arches, which may be the cause of the building's deformation. By the end of the year, it is planned to restore all air connections in the arch openings or create new ones. Next year, roof repairs, demolition of partitions and walls in the basement, re-planning of the premises, creation of waterproofing, and installation of a ring drainage system around the building are expected. This will protect the church's foundation from the destructive effects of groundwater.

Restoration of the temple will take two to three years. A private investor is financing the work. Services in the temple continue, and it is always open to the faithful.