One of the first churches in the Volga-Monument to the Tsar Liberator Alexander II, built during the life of the king, was erected in the city Kozmodemyansk on Ascension Street (now Sovetskaya str.) In 1872. In memory of the failed assassination attempt April 4, 1866 student D.Karagozova on the king's life and the miraculous escape of the Russian Emperor kozmodemyantsy building on the banks of the Volga River trёhprestolny Cathedral in old Russian style.

Majestic Smolensky Cathedral has an external similarity with the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior, keeled completion of walls with medallions in the nave, facade faceted columns and domes. Creation of provincial architects with widely spaced five domes in the Russian-Byzantine style later supplemented the seven bells, one of which weighed more than 139 pounds (two tons). The temple was built at the expense of the parishioners and consecrated in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother in 1872. At the temple before the Revolution parish school was located.

In 1929 the church was closed, the dome and bell tower demolished and the building was handed over to local history and art museum. In 1998, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Smolensk returned to the Orthodox diocese, restored on 11 September 1998 he was consecrated bishop of Mari Yoshkar-Ola and John.

In our time, the most beautiful building of the Smolensk Cathedral is a temple-monument and historical attractions of the Republic of Mari El.