The church on Sretenka, located in a low area, requires descending stairs, which clearly demonstrates how the cultural layer has grown over 350 years. However, the temple is known not only for its age but also for its connection to the Sukhariev Tower, which was nearby until 1934.

The church is first mentioned in 1635 as a wooden structure. Its popular name "in Listy" is associated with the fact that printers living nearby created and sold lubok pictures, hanging them on the church fence. The main function of the Trinity Church was to provide spiritual care for the streltsy regiment stationed at the Sreten Gate. This road led from Moscow to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery and was called the "royal" road, as members of the royal family traveled on it for pilgrimage.

The streltsy became the main builders of the stone church in 1655 and 1661. They were allocated 150,000 bricks, and later presented with church utensils and royal gates captured in Belarus. These gifts were a reward from Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich for the capture of Stepan Razin. Subsequently, updates to the church occurred on the occasion of the streltsy regiment's achievements. In 1680, after the successful Chigirin campaign, a refectory was built, and in 1689, Peter I allocated funds for the repair of the church domes. A special merit belongs to Colonel Lavrenty Sukhariev, who was the first to send streltsy to protect Peter I, which decided the outcome of the political struggle. In gratitude, the tsar built new Sreten Gates with a tower named after Sukhariev.

The church was built in the cathedral style: squat but spacious, with strict decor on the facades. Initially, the bell tower was attached to the church on the western side, but in the 1780s it was dismantled and a new freestanding bell tower was built.

In addition to the main Trinity altar and the Protection chapel, there was a chapel in honor of John of Damascus, built with funds from local manufacturer Pankratiy Kolosov. In 1774, he financed the construction of a new refectory, which has survived to this day. Later, the chapel was reconsecrated in the name of Metropolitan Alexius.

Vladimir Gilyarovsky recalled the church's sexton and his tobacco "Rose", which was sold through a window in the shop under the church building. The recipe for the tobacco is mentioned in the book "Moscow and Muscovites".

In 1931, the church's rector was arrested, after which services ceased. Later, the domes were dismantled, the bell tower was destroyed, and the building was repurposed for sculptural workshops. In 1972, during the construction of the metro, the walls developed cracks, but in the 1980s the church was restored. Since 1991, the revival of services began, and in the early 2000s, the restoration and reconstruction of the bell tower were completed.

In 2017, a water well from the Mytishchi water supply, related to the modernization of Moscow's water supply in the 19th century, was found near the church. The well has been transferred to the Museum of Moscow and is planned to be exhibited in the urban environment. It underwent a comprehensive restoration and in 2018 became a laureate of the "Moscow Restoration" competition.