The Vladimir Cathedral in Kronstadt, one of the most beautiful churches in the city, was founded in 1875 on the site of previous wooden churches that had been built three times. The need for a large stone church arose from the desire of numerous sailors in Kronstadt to attend church services. At that time, the garrison numbered 4,500 people, complicating the task. The military governor of Kronstadt, Vice Admiral Kazakevich, requested the construction of a stone cathedral and received permission from Emperor Alexander II on January 2, 1873.

For the new church, the engineering department purchased a plot from merchant Ilyin for 7,050 rubles in silver, located next to the old wooden church. Construction under the guidance of academician of architecture Christian Ivanovich Greifan began in 1875, and the solemn laying of the foundation took place on May 8 of the same year. The project for the new cathedral was developed by the outstanding Russian architect David Ivanovich Grimm, one of the creators of the 'Russian style' in architecture. Thus, the construction of the Vladimir Cathedral was carried out at a high level.

The church was completed in 1879, and on March 7, 1880, it was solemnly consecrated by the chief priest of the army and navy, Peter Pokrovsky. The interior and exterior finishing of the church was completed only in 1882. The construction was financed by the state, with a total amount of 201,687 rubles. In 1903, the church received the status of a cathedral.

The facades of the church are designed in the style of 17th-century Russian architecture, while the internal layout resembles the basilicas of early Christian churches, similar to the church of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna. The ceiling is made with the use of coffered designs to resemble the Roman style.

The height of the bell tower is 50 meters, and the church is designed to accommodate 3,000 people. The frescoes of the church were created based on sketches by Yefim Godun, and it housed the banners of various military units.

The main relic of the cathedral was a copy of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, painted on July 9, 1703, by order of Peter the Great specifically for Kronstadt. The image was done in oil on metal and adorned with gilded copper. In 1735, a bronze kiot and a silver-gilded riza with a crown and multicolored stones were created for the icon. The inscription on the icon read: 'This image was painted in the year 1703 on the 29th day of May, the frame was made on the 20th day of February 1735.' The image was located to the right of the Royal Doors. In 1931, the icon was confiscated, and its further fate is unknown; it may have been destroyed.

On November 6, 1888, the lower chapel in honor of the icon of the Mother of God 'Relieve My Sorrows' was consecrated, and on November 22, 1908, the right chapel of the upper church in honor of Blessed Nicholas Kochanov was consecrated by Bishop Kirill of Gdov. The last chapel of the cathedral, dedicated to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, was consecrated in 1919.

The last consecration took place after the Bolsheviks came to power. Under the new regime, the Vladimir Cathedral suffered, like many other churches. On February 16, 1931, it was closed and repurposed as a warehouse. In the 1950s, the building was blown up three times, but the work was halted due to cracks in neighboring houses. As a result of the explosions, the altar, porch, and bell tower were destroyed, but the cathedral building as a whole was preserved. It remained empty, but there were plans to place a swimming pool or stables in it.

In 1990, the cathedral was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church. Conservation work was carried out, and services were held in a temporary church of All Saints. Only in 1999 did services begin in the lower church of the icon of the Mother of God 'Relieve My Sorrows.'

In 2000-2001, the brickwork was repaired, the facades were cleaned and plastered, and the domes were restored with galvanized steel. Later, the ornaments on the ceiling and walls of the church were recreated, and seven figurative compositions were restored. Thus, in our time, the cathedral has been almost completely restored to its former appearance, except for some details lost over time.