In the early 19th century, a fire occurred in Buguruslan, resulting in the destruction of the wooden Nikolskaya church, which had stood on the banks of the Kinel River since the founding of the Buguruslan settlement. Left without a temple, the residents decided to build a new stone cathedral, but not in the old location, rather in the city center, in an open block. In 1825, a majestic three-altar church with a bell tower was constructed, becoming one of the first stone buildings in Buguruslan.

The new church was granted cathedral status, and the block where it was located became known as Cathedral Square. The consecration of the right chapel of the cathedral in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God took place on February 6, 1825, and on May 28, 1829, the left chapel was consecrated in honor of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. After the completion of all construction and finishing works, on October 25, 1831, the central altar of the cathedral was consecrated in honor of the Ascension of the Lord, and the cathedral was named Spaso-Ascension.

The cathedral's parish included representatives from all social classes of the city: peasants, townspeople, merchants, and nobles. It included peasants from the surrounding villages: Baymakovka, Blagodarovka, Karpovka, Nudatovka, Lobovka, Vasilievka, Klyuchevka, Turkhanka, Zavyalovka, Verkhnee-Zaglyadnoe, Naumovka, Krasnoyarka, Ponikla, Borisovka, Nadezhdino, Pozdyuninka, Bashkatovka, Staroverka, and Yelatmonka. Over time, as churches were built and independent parishes opened in the villages, they exited the cathedral parish.