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The church was erected in 1647-1650 with the funds provided by wealthy and influencial Yaroslavl merchants Skripins.
the church being typical in its general composition is distinguished for its harmony of independent units and extreme picturesqueness of the structure as a whole. It is a massive cross-domed four-pierd building placed on podlet and surmounted by domes. The church is surrounded on the north and on the west by two-stage gallery-parvis. On the south the chapel of the Intercession is attached to the main building (a heated church). The north parvis has a small chapel consecrated to SS Gury, Simeon and Aviv. The architecture of the chapel is not typical for Yaroslavl, it is surmounted with a staged pyramid of kokoshnik ogee arches and small dome.
The chapel of the Robe of Christ a small independent church made as two-stage cube was built at the south-west corner of gallery. Extremely slender, rising upward tower-like chapel is surmounted with tent-like roofing with nice window - "dormers" is erected at the north-west corner. Decoration is concentrated in the galleries and porches provided with double arches with pendant weights over the dor and various window surrounds. Foliate pattern and original colouring of some details were restored during the restoration work carried out on the church facades.
The carved iconostasis is worth admiration indeed. This masterpiece of Moscow Baroque was made in 1696. Gilded grapes, flowers covering piers and cornices resemble a large beautiful lace-like curtain rather than carving. This curtain separates altar from the church itself. The most part of icons in the church of Prophet Ilijah dates to 70-80s of the XVII century. While studying the interiorof the church one cannot but pay attention to the Tsar's and Patriarch's thrones. These church thrones according to cronicle were made in 60s of the XVII century for Tsar Alexei Michailoovich and Patriarch Nikon. Originally they were placed in the church of St Nicholas Mokri.
Behind the iconostasis there is altar canopy with dome-shaped terminal, being the unique work of Yaroslavl carvers of the XVII century.
However the real treasure in the church of the Prophet Elijah is painting. The frescoes of the church were painted during two summer seasons of 1680-1681 by well-known Kostroma masters Guri Nikitin and Sila Savin with their friends, among htem there were Yaroslavl masters. While passing through the beautiful and festive entrance one cannon help being highly impressed with bright many-coloured symphony of frescoes covering the entier space of the church like a colourful carpet from the walls to the spaces between windows, from the gently rising low vaults to the broad bevelling of the windows, piers and portals. The current of hues-brownish red, playing gold, dark cherry-red, pastel-pink and pale blue is streaming like a festive humn singing the praises of life and happiness.
The walls are divided into six friezes. The central place devoted to the scenes of life of the Prophet Elijah and his Popil Elisha. (the second and the third rows starting from the bottom) Various scenes of every day life of people seem to be of greatest interest for the painters. Well-known "Harvesting" depicting an impressive colourful harvesting scene - is a unique example representing peasants labour in the ancient Russian painting. The figures of reapers dressed in pink and blue on the background of golden ripe rye impart the poetical character of the whole composition. The painting of the chapel and the gallery was performed later. It involves scenes from the "Apocalypse". The church of the Prophet Elijah was damaged greatly in 1918 White- Guard revolt. At present the monument was imparted the original appearance after the restoration carried out in 1957-1960.