In pre-revolutionary Penza, churches were found almost everywhere. For example, just 50 meters from the main church of the city, the Savior Cathedral, stood Nikolska Church. Now, a cinema called 'Rodina' occupies its place.

The history of this church begins with the first settlers. It was the first church built outside the fortress gates and was considered the main one for the civilian population. In 1683, the cathedral was consecrated in the name of Saint Nicholas, the patron of the slandered and unjustly punished, which is why exiled counterfeiters often came here. During the attack by the Crimean Tatars, Adyghe, Circassians, and Nogais under the command of Bakhty-Girey, Nikolska Church found itself at the center of the battle but remained unharmed. The residents considered this a miracle, and the church came to be revered even more than the Cathedral. By the 60th anniversary of the church, a large mechanical clock made by master Fyodor Tyapkin from Krasnoslobodsk was installed on its bell tower. The same tower housed the Penza holy fool Vasily the Blessed, who walked barefoot in winter and summer, stopped passersby, and predicted their fate.

In the late 1930s, the church was closed. Without proper care, the building gradually deteriorated, and soon Nikolska Church was demolished. Thus, another urban legend disappeared.