According to an ancient legend, in 1170, when numerous Suzdaltsev troops attacked the city of Novgorod, thanks to the icon "The Sign of the Virgin", Novgorod won. According to legend, during the siege of Novgorod Archbishop Elijah prayed for several days for the salvation of the city. Then he picked up in the Church of the Saviour icon, and set it on the ramparts facing the attacker. One arrow attackers got into the face of a saint. Then she turned her face icon and oozing tear. At this point, Suzdal lost their sight, and the enemy was defeated. Whether this is true or fiction, but the icon is preserved to this day follow the arrows. The victory was a miracle, because the forces were unequal. In honor of the miraculous icon of the Sign of Novgorod built the church. In 1688, the church became dilapidated, and in its place was built the Cathedral of the Sign.

The structure is typical of churches of the 17th century, although his architectural forms are more like Yaroslavl than traditional Moscow. The cathedral is located in the vicinity of the Church of the Transfiguration, and this neighborhood even more noticeable its distinctive architecture.
Chetyrhstolpny Temple, the traditional Russian church construction of the 17th century, five-domed .  It consists of a basement, two floors and a gallery of three apses .  Facades are divided blades and topped with false zakomaras, ornate painting .  Along the perimeter of zakomaras placed frieze with a specific for Moscow and Kostroma buildings pattern .  In the spirit of the traditions of the Yaroslavl temple is littered with the outside and inside with murals .  The painting is present even in the vaults of the porch at the Gate of semicircles cornice .  The painting was done and painter . Bakhmatova .  He was assisted by 30 artists from Kostroma .  Unlike traditional Novgorod school painting of the Cathedral turned hurriedly-realistic, even the rough .  Many images are full of patterns and bright colors .  Each drawing is made as though separately from the others and different from the other images, .  Despite this, when looking at the church in general, there is a magnificent harmony . 

Interior painting is the same kind, with a strong secular character. In the area of ​​the entire western wall of the temple is an image of "Doomsday". One of the figures painted very similar to Peter I. In addition to the paintings, the Cathedral was also a significant collection of ancient icons. Among them, unfortunately, only a few survived. It is known to us the icon of "Our Lady of the Sign" and "Christ Emmanuel," depicting Christ as a boy, next to the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. There are still two icons, which are derived from the iconostasis of the Cathedral. Today, all of these icons are stored in the Novgorod Museum.

For centuries, the temple was repeatedly the case of fire. Especially much he suffered during the Second World War. The Nazis staged in the temple barracks, they broke down the floor. From the smoke of fires much bloat frescoes, the walls were riddled with projectiles. Each time the repaired structure. There were wealthy philanthropists that the money allocated for the reconstruction and restoration of the cathedral. In 1950 restoration of the church was engaged in Novgorod Restoration Workshop. They made a new roof for the cathedral destroyed and rebuilt parts. However, because all of these repairs the temple lost some of its original appearance.

This Znamensky Cathedral is not operating, but it is open and can be visited as a monument of ancient architecture and the amazing monumental painting. However, due to the fact that the Council of the magnificent acoustics, it often sounds spiritual and classical music. Music completes and opens like a monumental, architectural and artistic ensemble, the extraordinary beauty of the ancient artistic conception.