The temple was laid on September 11, 1793, and completed in 1795. It was a small stone church dedicated to the Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem, built with funds from merchant M. Sibiryakov at the Entrance-Jerusalem cemetery. By the mid-19th century, the church had significantly deteriorated and partially collapsed due to an earthquake.

In 1835, a new temple was built on its site, located at the highest point of the city. From its bell tower, one could see all the Irkutsk churches and monasteries. The project for the new church was developed by Tomsk provincial architect A.P. Deev. Construction, which began in 1820, progressed slowly due to damages: in 1823, the vault of the nearly completed church collapsed. Major construction work was only completed in 1830, without interior finishing. The iconostasis was created according to a design by Irkutsk architect A. Vasiliev, and careful supervision was maintained over the interior work. In 1835, the Irkutsk provincial construction commission conducted an inspection of the church, which was consecrated on July 25, 1835. Initially, the church had one chapel, and in 1890, two more were added on the southern and northern sides.

During the Soviet era, the church's domes were demolished, the building was reconstructed, and divided into floors. The temple is now being restored by the parish community and is gradually returning to its former appearance. A nine-meter bell tower has been built. The church's ministers believe that restoring the temple is a duty to the memory of those buried in the Jerusalem cemetery.

Today, the church is a one-story building with a common roof for all volumes. The loss of the crowning parts of the temple and the bell tower has changed its appearance beyond recognition. The original composition was expressive due to the contrast between the massive temple with its eight-pitched dome and the slender tiered bell tower. The architecture of the church and its parts was unusual for Irkutsk and reflected the overall Russian development of classicism. The facade is adorned with strict and concise decor: window openings without trim, decorated only with sandriks, a simple entablature, and columned porticos on three sides, which is characteristic of mature classicism.