The Spaso-Transfiguration Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Yaroslavl, is part of the architectural ensemble of the monastery of the same name. In addition to the cathedral, there are magnificent monuments of Orthodox architecture from the 16th and 19th centuries. As a result of a fire in 1502, many buildings of the monastery were destroyed, including the Spaso-Transfiguration Cathedral, which had to be completely dismantled. Only the foundation survived, on which a new church building was erected between 1507 and 1516. The construction was significantly accelerated thanks to the support of the Moscow prince Vasily III, who sent his architects to Yaroslavl. They took the architectural style of the Kremlin as a model. Today, the Spaso-Transfiguration Cathedral, the oldest monument of Orthodox architecture in Yaroslavl, has been preserved in its original form. The cathedral is a four-pillar building built on a high base with four rectangular brick supports. It is crowned with three domes, which consist of elongated light drums topped with helmet-shaped gilded domes. The base of the drums is surrounded by a chain of small kokoshniks, and above them, the domes are adorned with arcature-column decor. The facades of the church are completed with vaulted zakomaras without decorative elements. On the north and west sides, the cathedral is surrounded by galleries. The professionalism of the architects is evident in the perfect brickwork and the harmony of proportions achieved through the use of a single measure of length, the yard. The eastern facades of the cathedral are characterized by strict outlines, making their integrity expressive. The three high apses have narrow window openings resembling loopholes. The external appearance of the ensemble creates the image of a classical ancient Russian church, distinguished by simplicity and elegance of proportions. The western facade has a more complex geometry, with a two-story gallery featuring an open arcade in the foreground, visually enriching the facade through the play of light and shadow and giving it spatial expressiveness. In the 17th century, access to the gallery was through a luxurious porch. The northern gallery was originally open with wide arched openings, which were later bricked up and plastered. In the 1560s, wall and ceiling frescoes were created in the interiors of the cathedral by famous Moscow masters of church painting, such as Larion Lontiev, as well as the Nikitin brothers, Tretyak, and Feodor. Yaroslavl artists Afanasy and Dementiy Isidorov also participated in the creation of the frescoes.