Transfiguration Cathedral is one of the most visited temples of the city which is situated in Preobrazhenskaya Ploschad not far from Liteyni prospect, an area once home to the Russian Army's prestigious Transfiguration Regiment. It was constructed in 1743-1754 by the order of Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great. The cathedral was dedicated to soldiers and officers of the Guards who had assisted Elizabeth in coming to the Russian throne. Originally Mikhail Zemtsov was commissioned to construct the cathedral but after his sudden death in 1743 Trezzini actually carried out the process. Bartolomeo Rastrelli also took part in building of the cathedral. Interiors with outstanding gold iconostasis and the altar vestibule were made by him.

In 1825 the cathedral was badly damaged by the fire and architect Stasov was commissioned to restore the cathedral. Finished and consecrated in 1829, the Preobrazhensky’s Transfiguration Cathedral is a massive cube under customary five copulas painted sky-blue, with a portico at its western side, consisting of four Ionic columns 12 meters high. In 1830 the beautiful square was created around the cathedral and bordered with a cast iron fence made of 102 trophy Turkish cannons taken by the Russian army at the fortresses of Varna, Silistria and Tulcha. There is one interesting detail in the history of Transfiguration cathedral – it was never closed and used in any other ways unlike most other churches.