The Church of the Merciful Savior is made of wood and features a simplicity of form characteristic of wooden cell churches. If it weren't for the dome, it would resemble a stone hut. Few such churches have survived. In the 16th century, the chambers of Andrei Kurbsky were located here, where he lived until his flight to Poland. There was an underground passage from the church to the Church of the Kazan Mother of God, located nearby. During the feudal wars, people sought refuge on this bank of the Kurbitsa River, hiding from warring princes. The Kurbitsa was navigable, and there was a trading center here where livestock and meat were sold. The village of Vasilievsky was quite large at that time, although now only a few dozen pensioners live here. The Church of the Merciful Savior has always remained open, except for the winter church, which was closed in the 1950s by Khrushchev's decree.