In the Yaroslavl region lies the small ancient town of Tutayev, which until 1918 was known as Romanov-Borisoglebsk and was famous for its many attractions. Over the past hundred years, the town has changed significantly: many of its old churches and houses have been destroyed, but some have survived. One such architectural monument is the Cross Exaltation Cathedral, founded during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov. The cathedral was built in 1658 on the site of an old wooden church. Part of the funds for its construction were raised by local residents, while the remaining amount was donated by the tsar himself. Thus, the cathedral became one of many churches built with the support of Alexei Mikhailovich.

The cathedral is located in the historical center of the town, on the site of the defensive mounds of Prince Roman Vasilyevich, who founded Borisoglebsk, which later merged with the town of Romanov. The cathedral is designed in the traditional style for central Russia: its main part is four-pillar, with five domes and two decorative tent-like towers. Next to it is a small tent-like bell tower, which has also survived to this day. The interior walls of the church are painted by Kostroma masters, depicting numerous biblical scenes. The preserved frescoes add special value to the cathedral, among which stands out the scene of the scourging of Christ, where the executioners are dressed not in Roman but in Russian clothing, as if foreshadowing the events of the 20th century.

After the arrival of Soviet power, the cathedral was closed and endured many years of neglect and destruction due to careless treatment. Only in the 1990s was it returned to the faithful and is now functioning again. Fortunately, its historical appearance has been preserved, so visiting the cathedral allows one to imagine the churches of that era.