The history of the main temple of Tambov begins with the construction of the Tambov Kremlin in 1636. In 1677, the main church of the city was transformed into a cathedral. With the opening of the diocese in 1682, the Transfiguration Cathedral became the cathedral church. The construction of the stone cathedral was conceived and started by the second bishop of Tambov, Pitirim. Despite the massiveness and three-brick thickness of the walls, the work progressed quickly, using the best materials. Initially, a single-story church was planned, but after the walls were erected, Bishop Pitirim decided to make it two-story. Windows were opened in the lower part, vaults were built over the altar, and stairs to the upper floor were arranged. The bishop did not manage to complete the construction; he was buried by the southern wall in the chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. After 18 years, the superstructure and bell tower fell into disrepair. In 1783, merchant Matvey Borodin took on the completion of the cathedral, planning to finish the upper church and install a three-tiered iconostasis. However, due to financial difficulties, his plans changed. In 1801, another benefactor, merchant Matvey Malin, completed the repairs and installed the iconostasis.

By the mid-19th century, the church became cramped, so in 1841-1842, the stairs to the upper church, which occupied a significant part of the space, were dismantled. A two-story porch with new stairs was added on the west side according to the plan of S.A. Bereznegovsky. By this time, the cathedral required major repairs, which began in 1843 and continued until 1849. In the upper church, the walls and vaults were leveled and plastered, Corinthian order carved capitals were installed, and the walls were painted based on the themes of the New and Old Testaments. Floors and window frames were replaced. The new iconostasis for the upper church was made by the best masters from Moscow, decorated with six icons painted by the student Mukhanov. In the lower church, a new wooden carved iconostasis in the Rococo style, with gilded decorations, was installed.

In 1811, a stone bell tower was laid, consecrated in 1812, which had symbolic significance. By the 1860s, the bell tower was plastered, whitewashed, covered with iron, and decorated with gilded stars. In 1879, a plan was approved for the construction of two wings at the cathedral, completing the architectural composition. The low single-story buildings emphasized the grandeur of the cathedral. The cathedral preserved the main Tambov relics, including the miraculous icon of the Kazan Mother of God and the Crucifixion of the Savior, painted by Bishop Pitirim. The icon depicts the city with fortress towers, a church, and houses, corresponding to the description of Tambov in the 17th century.

Since 1918, the cathedral was under the jurisdiction of the church community, but it was closed in 1930. In 1931, the pits in the squares were filled with rubble from the dismantled bell tower. A standard house was built on the site of one of the wings. For a long time, the building of the former cathedral housed a local history museum. The cathedral has now been returned to the believers.