The history of the oldest cathedral in the town of Myshkin began long before the foundation of its first stone. The idea of ​​building a majestic temple, proudly towering over all the other buildings, come up with a view to the new urban development plan created after Myshkin had become a town in 1777. However, the grand construction of the main shrine of the town, the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, designed by the famous Italian architect Johannes Manfrini, began only 28 years later.

The construction of a luxurious five-domed temple with a three-tiered bell tower and airy hollow columns that create amazing acoustics in the building lasted 15 years. It was finally opened in 1820. After that, the square of the cathedral was built up with other buildings, which created a single ensemble in the classical style. Luckily, almost all the buildings of those years have been perfectly preserved to this day. Thus, modern tourists can still admire the splendid architectural monuments of the 19th century. The interior of the cathedral deserves special attention. It consists of many decorative elements, like columns, cornices, and rich stucco molding. The hallmark of the interior is the grisaille painting of the early 19th century by the famous serf artist Timofey Medvedev. Visitors can also see depicted scenes from the Old and New Testaments, which complement the colorful original stained glass windows of the cathedral. The only details that have not survived to this day in their original form are the church bells. They were broken during the 1917 revolution: the cathedral became a warehouse, and the bell tower was turned into a water station. A thorough restoration of the cathedral was completed only in 2009.

Today, the magnificent Cathedral of the Assumption is considered the main attraction of the town. Its bell tower houses a museum of antiquities, displaying ancient church utensils and vestments, and offers a fabulous view of the entire town of Myshkin.