Ascension Cathedral is located in the center of Znamensky monastery. Its history dates back to the 17th century. When Ostashkovskaya old women, received the blessing of Patriarch Pitirim, in 1673 appealed to the king with a request for permission to arrange the convent with the church in honor of the signs and with a chapel in honor of the prophet Elijah. The letter from the Emperor was received June 12, 1673 September 25, 1673 Ostashkovskaya Evreevym warlord Ivan Ivanovich was allotted a plot of land for the construction of the monastery and the church. Abbot of the monastery was the bayou Eupraxia.

For information about how and when built the first wooden church of the monastery has not been preserved. But after 12 years since the founding of the monastery (in 1692) to replace the wooden Znamenskaya Church with the Chapel of St. Elijah the prophet, who came to the time to the dilapidated state, was built a new (also wood), but more spacious Church of the Ascension with the Chapel of Our Lady of the Sign.

After the removal of the ban in 1729 for the construction of stone buildings Abbess Euphemia decided to start the construction of the monastery stone church instead of the old wood. Thanks to the help of investors, including and the Empress Anna Ivanovna, to 1734 were built chapels and stone church consecrated abbot of Nil's Hermitage Abram.

With the help of various benefactors to the 1748 Ascension church was completed. In 1750 the church was decorated with gilded carved iconostasis skilful tems recorded with new icons. In 1748, on the western entrance to the church was built of stone bell tower.

The newly built church was single-headed. The temple and altars were covered with boards. Belfry had six bells. Near the church porch were built in four places. If the aisles were breech and riznichnaya tent kelarnaya and bread. The iconostasis of the main temple had four tiers. At the end of the 18th century. Ascension Cathedral had five chapters and chapels in honor of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist and of Holy Virgin. Church bell tower and chapels were covered with iron; the bell tower was 8 bells.

In 1803, in the church of the Assumption, instead of the old iconostasis was installed a new carved iconostasis. In 1814, in the chapel of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist and made a new gilded carved iconostasis, in 1820 the iconostasis was replaced in the chapel of Our Lady of the Sign. In 1821 the iconostasis was gilded with pure gold, its hallmarks were written new icons, old iconostasis sold in the churchyard Cherenchitsy. In 1825, the temple walls were decorated with paintings of the Ascension. In 1829, the altar was rebuilt with alteration cupola.

A fire in 1868 destroyed the whole interior of the church, including the heads of the roof. There were only the walls of the church. Restoration of the Church of the Ascension was going slowly. In the same year they established new iconostasis in the temple altars. In 1873 the main altar of the church was consecrated by the Archbishop of Tver and Kashin, Eminence Filofeem.

Watched restructuring temple local technicians Demidov. But in 1888 he died, and his work has continued and the young architect Kuzmin manufacturer of stone works Surovkov Ivan. Work on the restructuring was completed in 1890, 2 February of the same year was consecrated chapel right.

The architectural style of the new warm abbey church received mixed. The beauty of the interior of the church attached to the pointed arches, supported by pillars and decorated with medium columns at the corners. Outside the temple is decorated with cornices projections. Lattice windows and doors were elegant figure. The bell tower was completed pyramid spire, which was lined with tin white checkered. In 1893 it was completed interior chapels in the cold church.

After the monastery was closed in 1928 in the premises of the temple located Granary. During the war, significant changes in the life of the church did not happen. In 1947, at the request of the faithful has been opened winter part of the temple. It was transferred the relics of Saint Nil. After the transfer of all the faithful of the temple, it was renovated and re-painted in Tver, Ostashkov and Moscow painters. For the relics of St. Nile was made gilded cancer and canopy, where they remained until July 9, 1995, when they were solemnly transferred to the newly opened Nilov deserts. In Znamenskoye same cathedral were left only the relics of the Monk.

Currently, the temple is valid.