The water gates with the church of the Transfiguration of the Lord represent one of the most impressive architectural objects of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. They are especially memorable in the summer when the gates are open and one can step directly to Lake Siverskoye. P.I. Chelishchev mentions the church in his work "Journey through Northern Russia": "The Transfiguration at the gates, a true throne for the Transfiguration of the Lord, with altars dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the martyr Irina." These gates are located in the middle part of the western wall of the Great Assumption Monastery, adjacent to Lake Siverskoye between the Bread Tower to the north and the Sweeping Tower to the south. They were built in the 16th century, with the gates appearing earlier.

The church was consecrated in 1595 and was erected by a local cooperative under the guidance of Elder Leonid Shirshov. It is the last stone structure from the 16th century in the monastery. The architecture of the church largely resembles that of the Church of St. John Climacus but has its own features: three domes, a covering of the altar, an asymmetrical composition, and two columns in the interior, which shifts the drum to the east. In the 18th century, the temple was rebuilt, and its original appearance was restored in 1974-1975 under the guidance of S.S. Pod'yapolsky. Access to the porch was via a stone staircase in the annex, and beneath the porch was a chamber for baking kalach and prosphora.

The interior decoration of the church has been preserved as well as that of the Church of St. John Climacus. In the four-tiered iconostasis, created simultaneously with the temple, most of the icons have survived in their original form, except for two Deesis icons, the image of the Odihria, and the pydnitsa. The iconostasis was likely crafted by a small group of artists from one of the northern centers. Despite the commonality, some icons stand out with their unique artistry, such as the monumental royal gates and the icons "Transfiguration" and "Nicholas." The foundation of the local composition is a cross, symbolizing in Orthodoxy the transformation of a person through the spiritual cross of humility and love.

Originally, beneath the local images, covered with basma frames, there were silk veils from the "royal dacha," and on both sides of the royal gates were kiots with numerous icons. The local icons and royal gates were restored at the State Central Artistic Restoration Workshops named after I.E. Grabar, while the others were restored at the "Rosrestavratsiya" association under the guidance of I.P. Yaroslavtsev.