The church dedicated to the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God was built in 1703 thanks to the Arzamas merchant Ivan Vasilyevich Maslenkov. This man was respected in Arzamas and was a spiritual friend of Hieromonk John, the founder of the Sarov Desert. The hieromonk noted that Ivan Vasilyevich was "a man of very great wisdom and exceedingly prudent and useful in all things, especially in spiritual matters."

In 1797, a new spacious stone church with the same name was built and consecrated on the site of the old Smolensk temple, featuring two chapels. One is dedicated to the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, and the other to the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky and the Venerable Alexander of Svir. The construction of the temple was funded by the "pious wealthy" Maslenkovs, Korinlovs, and Bystrovs.

In 1932, the church was closed and subsequently destroyed. The restoration of the Smolensk church began in 2011.