Museum of the History of Architecture of the Sophia Cathedral is located in the church, built on the site once exploded sobora.V year old Sophia baptism of Rus laid the three Sophia Cathedral in three major Russian cities - Kiev, Novgorod and Polotsk. In 1596 the church was rebuilt and handed over to the Uniates. He became a temple-fortress. After a fire in 1602 the church was rebuilt on the orders of Bishop Jehoshaphat Kuntsevych. By the beginning of the Northern War the church was rebuilt Uniates so much that bore little resemblance to the original Orthodox St. Sophia Cathedral.

In this temple the relics of Jehoshaphat Kuntsevych. This bishop was canonized by the Roman Catholic and is considered holy, whereas it is the enemy of the Orthodox faith, and a persecutor. He had a temper and unbending force forced the entire city to abandon the orthodoxy, for which, as a result of a riot in Vitebsk, he was killed.

In 1705 Russian troops headed by Tsar Peter I came to Polotsk. Peter, as a person is very curious, decided to take in the sights of the city. I saw a magnificent temple, knew that once he was Hagia Sophia and decided to visit it. At that time it was a Basilian church. The king asked the monks, whose relics are kept in their temple. Learning that this power Kuntsevych Jehoshaphat, "murdered heretics", he was terribly angry and wanted to destroy the shrine, but the monks began to fight for it, not allowing the king's servants, that when you try for the arrest were killed. Temple was later blown up by order of Peter I. After the explosion, survived only right asp.

The new temple on the site of the former was built in the style of the Catholic "Vilnius Baroque." This magnificent building is now the Museum of St. Sophia Cathedral and the concert hall of organ music. The museum exposition is located in the basement. It demonstrates the archaeologists discovered the ancient stonework of the original temple, and many other archaeological finds.

Every summer, these ancient walls festivals reconstruction. From across the country and because of its borders attracts young guys in the old knight's armor to fight in almost real knights' tournaments. There are festivals of medieval and ethnic music, exhibition and sale of works of craftsmen.