The Protection Cathedral in Barnaul is known not only to the city's residents but also to many people from the region. Many of them have visited it at least once: to baptize children, to hold funerals for loved ones, to buy candles and icons, and to pray for the health of relatives.

In the 1950s and 1980s, the cathedral was particularly visited, as there were only three or four Orthodox churches in the Altai region. The Protection Cathedral served as a spiritual support for significant territories and opposed atheistic sentiments. Even today, when Orthodox churches are open in almost every district center, rural residents often visit the cathedral when they come to Barnaul.

In 2004, the cathedral celebrated its 100th anniversary, but its history began in the mid-19th century when residents from European provinces of Russia settled in Altai. Many of them settled in Barnaul, in an area that later became known as Zaychanskaya Sloboda. In 1859, it was decided to build a church dedicated to the Protection of the Holy Virgin, and construction began in 1860. The consecration of the church took place on August 4, 1863.

The Protection Church was located in a poor part of Barnaul, and its parishioners could not maintain the church with their donations. Therefore, the church was attached to the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which helped with its upkeep. By the early 1880s, the church became cramped for all the believers, and the parishioners began to raise funds for the construction of a new church. The construction was completed in 1903, and the consecration took place on September 29, 1904.

The rector of the church, Archpriest Ioann Smirnov, cared for the education of the parishioners' children and opened the first church parish schools. After the new church was built, he commissioned a project for a brick school, which was constructed and became the largest church parish school in Barnaul. After the October Revolution, the building housed School No. 13, which traces its history back to 1892.

During the years of the revolution and the godless regime, the church underwent many trials: it was shelled, looted, and closed in 1939. However, in 1944, the church was reopened and restored.

The new history of the Protection Church began in late 1943 when the believers of Barnaul gathered and elected a church council. The church was in a semi-ruined state, but the community of believers took on the task of restoring it. On March 26, 1944, the church was consecrated by Archbishop Bartholomew.

In the post-war years, the church faced problems with a shortage of psalmists, but gradually the staff was filled. In 1947, repairs were made to the church, and the church council was re-elected.

The modern history of the church begins in the 1990s when active restoration and improvement of the territory began. Over 30 years, the original appearance of the church was fully restored, new domes, a baptismal church, a refectory, a Sunday school, and a children's playground were built.