On the site where the Ilyinsky Church stood in the 17th century, there was previously the Bozhedomsky Monastery, mentioned in the census books of 1631. Since 1788, the church served as the city cathedral. It was in this church that St. Seraphim of Sarov was baptized in 1758, and his parents were married.

The brick Resurrection-Ilyinsky Church was built in 1768 to replace the old wooden one, which had fallen into disrepair. This building features an octagon on a square base with side chapels, a refectory, and a tent-shaped bell tower, with the second altar dedicated to the Resurrection.

In 1926, the church was closed, and until 1995, the building was used for archival purposes. In 1951, the bell tower was demolished, and a House of Books was added to the church. In 1995, the temple was returned to the diocese and renovated.