The Church of Leontius at Zarovye was built in 1772 with funds from parishioners in the Baroque style. This tall and elegant two-story stone temple with a tiered bell tower was a true adornment of the city. It had two altars: on the first floor was a warm church in the name of Saint Leontius, Bishop of Rostov, and on the second, a cold one, in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. Due to its significant height and upward-reaching silhouette, the temple dominated the surrounding buildings. It reminded residents of ancient history not only by its appearance but also by its name, emphasizing the connection of times.

The church was located on the edge of the city moat of the 12th-13th centuries, which explains the name "at Zarovye." Remnants of this moat can still be seen as a shallow depression at the southern facade. In the 1930s, the temple was closed, its dome and bell tower were demolished, and the building was adapted for a dining hall. In the early 1960s, an attempt was made to blow it up. In 1997, what remained of the temple was handed over to the Russian Orthodox Church. Only the base of the octagon and the square remained from the central part, which represented a composition of an octagon on a square. There was a huge gap between the square and the porch, likely a result of the failed explosion. Only a small projection from the wall of the square remained from the altar apse, and the bell tower was absent. The vaults had collapsed. In 2013, restoration began: the area was fenced with a concrete wall, scaffolding was installed, and the first bricks were brought in. From 2015 to 2017, the restoration of the first and second floors was carried out, the vaults and altar apse were restored.

In 2018-2019, the octagon was reconstructed, the reconstruction of the bell tower began, an iron entrance door, metal grilles, and carpentry fillings were installed, electrical wiring and plastering of the internal volume of the first floor were carried out. The roof of the octagon was covered with iron.

In 2019, a solemn consecration of the cross and dome took place.