Before you is the only example of Petrine Baroque architecture in Yaroslavl. The style that emerged in the time of Peter I and shaped the appearance of Saint Petersburg was rare for provincial cities.
The Peter and Paul Church was built after the model of the famous Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg. This grand church was erected in 1742 with funds from the Zatrapeznov brothers, owners of the Yaroslavl Big Manufactory. The location of this church is highly unusual – it stood in the middle of an industrial complex and was surrounded by production buildings and barracks for workers, and cloth used to be bleached in the ponds at the foot of the church.
The Peter and Paul Church was the center not only of the district's spiritual life but also of its social life; a parish school, a hospital, and a board of trustees operated on its grounds.
In Soviet times, a Pioneer club with a movie theater was housed in the church, but it has now been returned to the Russian Orthodox Church and restored. Services are held here once again.
The Peter and Paul Church is surrounded by the beautiful Petropavlovsky Park. Its azure-and-white walls and the tall spire of the bell tower are reflected in the waters of the park's lakes, creating a tranquil landscape.
