In 1624, Elder Guriy built the first wooden church of the monastery, dedicated to the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God with an altar dedicated to Saint Nicholas. In the 17th century, according to monastery descriptions, there were a wooden church, 12 cells, a barn, a kitchen, as well as a fence behind which were located a stable yard and agricultural land. In the last quarter of the 17th century, the first stone buildings appeared. In 1686, a stone church of the Smolensk Mother of God was erected, which internally resembled the Assumption Cathedral of Kostroma. It was a single-story, five-domed church with an altar made of cypress wood. The iconostasis was carved and made by carpenters, and to the left of the royal gates was the miraculous icon of the Smolensk Mother of God with a handle at the bottom. In 1808, a silver, gilded riza with a crown and a tiara was made for the icon. The handle was also covered with silver, and on the fields of the icon were 12 round images depicting the apparitions and miracles of the Ignatian Mother of God. At the bottom was the inscription: 'The apparition of the icon of the Mother of God Odigitria was in 1624.' On the back of the icon was depicted Saint Nicholas with a silver, gilded riza, a smooth crown, and four rubies, as well as a black mitre and the Gospel.