The monastery is located three kilometers northwest of Totma. Its ensemble can be seen from afar, situated on a low hilly cape between the rivers Pesya Denga and Kovda. The modern appearance of the monastery was mainly formed in the late 18th and first half of the 19th century, giving its architecture coherence and unity, predominantly in the classical style. Recently, the large monastery bell tower and a significant part of the walls with towers were dismantled.

Among all the buildings of the monastery complex, the cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior stands out, executed in the pseudo-Russian style. This main structure of the monastery is relatively small and is inferior in size to the neighboring Ascension Church, which is the compositional center of the entire ensemble. However, this was not always the case: until the end of the 18th century, the cathedral dominated the complex.

The Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior was founded in 1554 by Feodosiy Sumorin and originally represented a wooden tent-like structure with a refectory, characteristic of northern buildings of that time. In the 1620s, it was replaced by two neighboring cell churches, one of which also had a refectory. Only in 1685 and 1689 was a stone cathedral built in their place with an Introduction chapel, marking the beginning of monumental construction in Totma. In 1801, the cathedral was reconstructed into a warm church in the spirit of classicism, with the addition of a dome and a cupola. Its current appearance, reminiscent of the works of architect K. Ton, was acquired after reconstructions in 1876 and the 1880s. At that time, the cathedral was raised and topped with five domes, the altar part was rebuilt, and the facades were decorated with decor stylized to resemble 17th-century architecture. These fragmented and dry forms make the building less appealing artistically.