The Upper Uda Cathedral of the Odigitrievsky Church began construction in 1741 and was completed in 1785. It is named in honor of the Holy Virgin Mary Odigitria, known as the "Guide."

The foundation of the cathedral is not particularly strong. The conditions for construction were unfavorable: fine-grained sands saturated with groundwater and seismic hazards. By 1818, uneven settling caused cracks in the walls and vaults. Earthquakes in 1862 and 1885 added new cracks and damaged the iron ties. Considering the seismic activity of the region, the stability of the cathedral raises doubts even today.

The cathedral is a unique monument of cult architecture in Siberia from the 18th century. Its harmonious composition, exquisite silhouette, and expressive facades make it an outstanding structure. It was a key element of the urban planning composition of Upper Uda, defining the street grid in the 18th and 19th centuries. The cathedral completed the main street, now Lenin Street, and still remains an architectural dominant of the historical part of Ulan-Ude.

The church was built on the site of a wooden Church of the Mother of God, which stood to the south. Its location is marked by a stone pillar with an iron cross. Construction of the cathedral began in 1741 and lasted more than 40 years. The consecration of the church on the second floor took place in 1785, while the "warm" church on the lower floor was consecrated in 1770. This was the first stone structure in Upper Uda, built in response to population growth and trade development. In the mid-18th century, the rise of stone architecture in Siberia began, especially ecclesiastical.

The cathedral was closed in 1929. After that, it housed construction courses, an anti-religious museum, and then a local history museum. The building was placed under state protection, and restoration work was carried out in 1959 and 1961. Until 1999, it housed the funds of the Museum of the History of Buryatia.

On March 31, 1992, an Orthodox parish was registered at the cathedral, and landscaping of the territory began. On August 1, 1995, a decree was issued to transfer the cathedral to the Russian Orthodox Church. On May 23, 1996, six bells were installed on the bell tower.

Since 1997, a procession has been held on the day of the celebration of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God from the Holy Trinity Church to the cathedral. On October 30, 1999, the icon of the Mother of God "Odigitria" began to exude myrrh. On December 20, 1999, the lower chapel in the name of the Epiphany of the Lord was transferred to the parish, where the Divine Liturgy was held for the first time in 70 years on March 26, 2000. In September 2004, the upper chapel of the cathedral was consecrated.

The composition of the cathedral represents a two-story variant, where the staircase, bell tower, refectory, church, and apse are strung along the longitudinal axis. Their volumes create a single organism measuring 47.70×13.20 m. The height parts of the cathedral contrast with each other, creating dynamic tension. The composition of the cathedral traces back to the cult architecture of the Northeast Russia of the late 17th century and unites the church and bell tower. This is how all stone churches in Transbaikalia were built until the mid-19th century.

The internal structure of the building is manifested in its external appearance. The lower floor was intended for the winter church, while the upper one was for the summer. Access to the upper church was through the second floor of the bell tower, and to the lower, through the first floor from the north and south sides. This design prevented the penetration of cold air, which was common in Siberia.

The foundation of the composition is the interaction of the height volumes of the bell tower and church, connected by the refectory. Although the bell tower is taller, their volumes are balanced in mass and silhouette. The spire of the bell tower reaches upward, while the tiered completion of the church is more calm and graceful. The refectory unites and restrains the dynamics of the height volumes.

The helmet-shaped dome transitions into a base for the baroque onion dome and ends with a narrow spire topped with a cross. After reconstruction, the spire became slimmer, with a slight widening at the bottom. The differences in the crowning parts of the church and bell tower were emphasized.

The decoration of the windows is related to wood carving, the motifs of which have been transferred to the brick facades. The architecture of the cathedral exhibits elements of the artistic direction of Northeast Russia from the late 17th century, influenced by the church culture of Ukraine and Belarus. New elements are added to the traditions of the 17th century: volutes and simplified order elements. Baroque forms are especially noticeable in the completion of the bell tower after reconstruction in the 1870s, repeating the forms of Peter's baroque era.