The church dedicated to the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God was built on a hill above the Sylva River, at the site of the Tikhvin convent, which had existed since 1695. After its closure, an independent parish was formed here. In 1758, a stone chapel in honor of John the Theologian was erected next to the wooden church, and by 1763, the main stone Tikhvin church was completed. This single-story building, of the refectory type, features a cubic two-light square and a low five-sided apse, executed in the baroque style. The church and the icon are associated with a legend about the miraculous intervention of the Mother of God in 1774, when the residents of Kungur, coming out with the icon onto the rampart, forced the Pugachevites to retreat. In 1881, the church was reconstructed: the refectory and bell tower were dismantled, and a new three-tiered bell tower nearly 70 meters tall was built in their place. Significant funds for the reconstruction were provided by merchant Y.S. Gubkin, and the project was developed by A.B. Turchevich. The bell tower is designed in the Gothic style with arches and pointed kokoshniks. It serves as an excellent observation platform for the city.

The church was built with donations, including funds from voivode Yuri Afanasyevich Matyunin, who contributed 700 rubles. In 1758, the stone chapel in honor of John the Theologian was consecrated, and on May 24, 1763, the main stone church was consecrated. In 1775, merchant Yegor Yukhnev established a men's almshouse at the church, and his son Vasily later financed the opening of a school in 1789. In 1801-1802, a stone fence was built, part of which has survived to this day. Initially, the church consisted of two parts: the main cold church and the warm chapel of John the Theologian, separated by an arch and glass doors. The stone bell tower was attached to the church on the western side. The church is built of red brick with decorative elements made of shaped brick. Its vaulted ceilings are reinforced with metal ties, and the foundations are made of rubble stone. The two-light church is topped with five domes, with smaller domes at the corners of the square. The corners of the church are highlighted by pilasters, and the cornice is adorned with ornamentation.