The cathedral is known since 1625. There are some suppositions that the first cathedral in the
name of Simone Stolpnik was built in Godunov times when Boris Godunov was crowned.. In 
1625 the Cathedral was built with the main throne and with side altar for Simon Stolpnik. 
In 1635 the Cathedral was in Dechtyrev garden. By edict of Fedor Alekseevich in 1676 - 1679 
the Cathedral was built of wide brick on white-stone pedestal. It belonged to the traditional type of
churches. The main two-color cubic space with  a  three piece altar overlapped by the closed arch
has five domes under two rows of carinate kokoshniks. Inside the wide aperture between the main
cathedral and refectory unites the church. Side chapels are open to the refectory and are 
separated from it by two columns that serve as support for arches. There is a staircase to the upper 
level in the south part of the west wall. In 1801 “at Semeon`s ” the Earl Sheremetyev and the 
commoner actress Zhemchugova got married. In 1861 Aksakov and Zaplatina who was the 
daughter of one of the Suvorov generals and a beautiful Turk woman Igel-Sum who was a prisoner 
got married. All experts and lovers of history know that this church is mentioned in Chapter VII of
“Evgeniy Onegin”. One of Onegin’s character, Larina’s mother dreamt of a man who lived “at 
Simon” congregation.” In 1852 the priest of Simonovskoy Church was called to the dying N.V. 
Gogol. at his house on Nikitskiy boulevard.  In 1940 the church was closed and the wall paintings 
were destroyed.