The history of Leontiev Cemetery in Yaroslavl dates back to 1779, when a plot was officially allocated for the creation of a necropolis on the Uglich road, in a secluded area outside the city. Soon, a wooden church dedicated to St. Leontius of Rostov was moved here from the center of Yaroslavl. In 1791, a stone church with the same name was built and consecrated.

Leontiev Cemetery, along with the "Tugova Gora" cemetery in the southern part of the city, is one of the two ancient necropolises of Yaroslavl that allow for the study of the city's history over two centuries. It is an active cemetery where the gravestones of 19th-century merchants coexist with the burials of our contemporaries. It is important to note that the tumultuous events of the early 20th century did not spare this quiet place. It was here that the famous Yaroslavl uprising of 1918 began, when armed opponents of the Bolshevik power gathered under the cover of night. Later, the execution of the defeated also took place here.