The Conception Church was built in 1686. The stone temple, erected by Metropolitan Jonah in honor of the Holy Trinity as the cathedral of the Yakovlev Monastery, was painted in 1689-1690 by Yaroslavl masters, possibly under the guidance of Dmitry Grigoriev Plekhanov. The painting mainly repeated the iconographic techniques that had developed in the metropolitan churches of Rostov in the 1670s-1680s. The walls were divided into five tiers. The four lower tiers depicted the earthly life of Christ, primarily according to the Gospel of Matthew. In the corner of the church, on the lower tier, where the tomb of Saint Jacob of Rostov stood, scenes of the birth and death of the founder of the monastery were added. The upper lunettes of the walls featured a tier with scenes from the history of the Holy Trinity. The vaults depicted feasts, and on the altar barrier, the iconostasis was painted directly on the wall. The color scheme of the painting is characterized by the greenish-ochre palette typical of Plekhanov. Individual panels differ in precise proportions and schematic representation. The apostles are usually depicted on the left, while Christ performing a miracle is on the right. Figures of martyrs are painted on the columns, red cherubs on the lower arches, and apostles on the upper ones. The altar painting system is unusual for Rostov churches and is closer to Yaroslavl traditions. In the apse of the altar, instead of the 'Great Entrance' and 'Lamb in the Chalice,' the 'Praise of the Mother of God' is depicted. In the apse of the deacon's area, instead of the 'Seven Sacraments,' a half-figure of Sabaoth blessing with both hands is shown. On the altar wall, where 'Rest of God' is usually depicted in Rostov churches, 'Sophia, the Wisdom of God' and 'Breaking of Bread by Apostle Peter' are written. On the columns and projections of the altar apses, figures of prominent figures from the universal and Russian church, such as Gregory, Bishop of Armenia, Stephen of Surazh, and others, are depicted in medallions. A significant part of the altar is dedicated to the cycle of the 'Passions of Christ.' The deacon's area is separated from the altar by a stone barrier, on the western side of which the 'Tree of Jesse' is depicted, and on the eastern side, the 'Mother of God of the Sign.' In the apse of the deacon's area, archdeacons are depicted, while in the central altar, universal saints and patriarchs are shown. In 1778, a guild of Rostov icon painters led by Andrei Matveev updated the painting in the church. The restoration was carried out under the supervision of Hieromonk Amphilochius, who restored the cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin in the 1770s by order of Catherine II. Amphilochius is buried at the porch of the Conception Church next to his nephew, Archimandrite Innocent. From 1761 to 1764, carvers Sisyoy Izotov Sholomotov and Stepan Nikitin Bochkarev created a magnificent five-tiered iconostasis, which covered the original iconostasis of Jonah Sysoevich. The iconostasis is adorned with semicircular pediments, columns, grape clusters, and cherubs and is considered one of the best works of Russian Baroque. It is completed with a group of the 'Ascension' with Christ against a background of clouds and angels. From 1776 to 1779, the iconostasis was gilded by Ivan Danilov Santeev, who also created the carved canopies over the tombs of Saints Jacob and Dimitry of Rostov. The icons for the iconostasis were painted in 1780 by the court painter of Catherine II, Benedict Vendersky. Among the church utensils is a silver reliquary of Saint Dimitry of Rostov with an inscription from M. V. Lomonosov, a donation from Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. In the 19th century, external painting was completed on the pediments of the porches of the Conception and Yakovlev churches. The figures of Christ, Jacob, and Dimitry were painted in 1826 by Rostov icon painter N. D. Gladkov, while the panels depicting 'Conception of Saint Anna' and 'Holy Trinity' were created in 1827 by the monastery artist V. A. Ptishnikov.