The Temple of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of God

The temple of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is one of the many city temples. The first temple is mentioned on the site of the present in the lists of city churches in 1739 - then there was a wooden church. The stone temple was built in 1767, the funds for its construction were donated by Colonel Ivan Leslie and Smolensk merchant Nashivankin. The temple was built in the fashionable Baroque style in those years. After about half a century, standing separately from the temple, the bell tower was connected to the refectory.

The main function of the church was the service of remembrance of the dead, and this mainly concerned the tragically lost people. Twice a year, from the door of the temple, a procession was made in the direction of a pond dug up by St. Abraham, revered in Smolensk. After the revolution, the temple was closed and for a long time stood abandoned.

The new life of the church began in 1992, when it was transferred to the Orthodox Church. A few years later, by the forces of parishioners and local authorities, restoration was carried out - the facades and interior were partially restored, the roof was repaired, and the domes and crosses were restored on the chapters.