The history of old Dobryanka is closely tied to the metallurgical plant founded in 1752 by Baron Sergey Grigorievich Stroganov. With the development of the plant and the increase in the number of workers, the first wooden church, the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Church, was established. It had two chapels: one in honor of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, consecrated in 1769, and the other in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, consecrated no earlier than 1777.

Icons for the church were created by the icon painter Larion Khrebtov, but they have not survived to this day. After a fire, the church was temporarily housed in a regular home. The construction of the new building was personally overseen by Count Stroganov, who was interested in its decoration and acquired a significant portion of church utensils in Moscow. In 1851, at his direction, valuable "family" icons, including images of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Mother of God, were brought to Dobryanka. A special gift was the Gospel published in 1606.

By 1915, the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Church was associated with the church in the village of Ust-Divya and three chapels: a metal one in Dobryanka and wooden ones in Posad and Yarina. There was a library with 600 volumes at the church, and several schools operated in the area.

With the rise of the Bolsheviks, all Stroganov factories, including the Dobryanka plant, were nationalized. The ringing of bells was prohibited in the area. In the early 1930s, the crosses were removed from the church, and the bell tower and dome were demolished. A cinema named after Voroshilov opened in the building.

In 1967, for the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution, the church building was reconstructed: an extension with a dance hall was added to the north side. It became the district House of Culture, which led to the destruction of ancient wall paintings. Only individual fragments and the inscription "St. Ignatius the Godbearer" have survived to this day. The burials around the church have also not survived.

In 2003, the church was returned to the believers. Since July 2010, prayers have once again echoed within its walls, and services began. The residents of Dobryanka actively participated in clean-up days, clearing the area and removing trash.

On January 30, 2011, on the day of St. Anthony the Great, the first liturgy was held at the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Church.