The Ascension Church in Tsarevokokshaisk, now known as Yoshkar-Ola, was built in 1756 during the reign of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, thanks to the efforts and funding of merchant Ivan Andreyevich Pchelin, whose house was located near the temple. Architecturally, the church is a typical example of Russian architecture of the 18th century, built in the "octagon on a square" scheme and having two floors. The octagon is topped with a spherical dome with a light drum and a cross. To the west, a refectory adjoins the church.

In the early 20th century, the appearance of the temple differed from the modern one. An open two-tiered gallery adjoined the refectory from the north and west, and a four-tiered bell tower with seven bells approached the church from the northwest. The fourth tier housed the city clock with chimes. The bell tower, like the church, was topped with a spherical dome with a drum and a cross. The temple stood out for its decorative finishing, especially the white stone carved window frames, made in the form of lace garlands and columns. Baroque elements, popular in church architecture since the late 17th century, were used in the decoration. The names of the architects have not survived, but it can be assumed that they were masters of the Eastern European tradition of Russian church architecture of the 18th century. The church had three altars: on the second floor, the main summer church in honor of the Ascension of Christ with an altar dedicated to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, and on the lower floor, a winter church in honor of the Elevation of the Holy Cross, which is why the church was sometimes called "Elevation."

The interior of the temple was richly decorated, with wall paintings and church utensils. The iconostasis of the main church consisted of five tiers with wooden carvings. Among the 17 icons, the Kazan Icon in a silver-gilded robe stood out, and in the altar was the image of the Iberian Mother of God. The main shrine was considered to be the carved image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and St. George the Victorious, which was a locally venerated icon and participated in processions. In the 1920s, the church continued to operate, but by 1930 it could not accommodate all those wishing to attend, as other churches in the city had been closed.

In January 1937, the presidium of the executive committee of the Mari ASSR decided to close the church due to a provocative statement about the violation of the 1922 agreement. In March 1938, the building was transferred to the Radio Committee, in 1939 it was turned into a beer warehouse, and in November 1940, into a brewery. Before the Great Patriotic War, the church lost its bell tower, fence, and gallery, and a faceless building was added to the refectory. The wall paintings were destroyed, but the walls of the temple withstood.

In 1992, the building was returned to the Church. Funds for restoration were collected gradually, and in 1995, on Easter, the first service was held in the revived temple. The upper and lower churches were consecrated. The dome of the Ascension Cathedral once again rose above the city, symbolizing spiritual rebirth and the victory of light over darkness. The restoration of the temple continues.