The Church Okovetsk icon of Mother of God known since 1678. Then she was the center of the Coastal settlement of Rzhev. Until recently, historians have assumed that the original wooden Church in honor of our lady from the village Okovtsy was built on the Bank of the Volga in 1758 and 1759, of the. But discovered historical documents confirmed this fact.

In the 17th century in the Rzhev after another invading alien hordes destroyed many monasteries and temples. In December 1715 believers Zavolzhsky parties filed a petition to the king – to allow the construction on the Baptist the land of wooden churches of Rzhev of the virgin.

In 1717 by order of Metropolitan Stefan Gorkogo here was built a wooden Church in honor of the icon of Rzhev of the virgin. In 1719 consecrated a chapel in honour of the PDP. Nile Slovenskega, two other altar – in the name of St. John the Baptist and Rzhev icons of the virgin remained unsanctified.

A wooden Church stood on the banks of the river, where the Volga flows Teterinskoe Vrazhek.

In the 18th century most of the wooden churches were replaced with stone. The same happened in Rzhev. Wooden Church became too small to accommodate all the parishioners. Therefore, in 1818 parishioners Okovetsk Church addressed to the Archbishop of Tver with a request to build a new stone Church of the same name on the Spassky area. In the same year was commissioned the project of a stone architectural complex with a chapel, a bell tower and a gatehouse. To determine where the construction of the temple in the Rzhev came to the Governor of N. With. Vsevolozhsky. Construction began in 1819.

In June 1831 the construction of the temple Akovenko-Rzhev icon ended. Temple took an authoritative Commission from representatives of the Tver province and diocese. The Church was covered with iron, the cross was made of wood, covered with tin. The temple was plastered all. In the Church was constructed wood-carved iconostasis. The icons were painted in the tradition of old Russian painting.

In 1832 were consecrated the altar and the main part. In 1834 was consecrated side Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist, and later the side-chapel in honour of the PDP. Nile Stolobensky.

After the revolution the Church Akovenko-Rzhev icon of Mother of God was abolished. For a long time in his room was located warehouse and office hlopkopromsbyt. Within two decades, the temple was used for the needs of the city Museum. After the building was in ruins. At some period was supposed to start its restoration, but this was never done. The temple remained primed both inside and outside. The cultural layer inside of the building was broken and made unusable. Only in 1991 the Church building was officially transferred to the city authorities of the Orthodox Church.

On the restoration of the temple, the Archbishop of Tver and Kashin was blessed by father Constantine. The temple he got and score boards Windows with old frames, with crumbling plaster and mountains of garbage. To walk under the bell tower was dangerous. The tightness of the dome of the temple was violated through the cracks dripping water. Had to do a huge amount of work to bring the Church to its normal state. Thanks to the assistance of local businesses and with the help of believers, the Church was restored.

The first service was held in the rebuilt temple in 1991. Today Okovetsky temple attracts the attention of the guests from Moscow, Pskov, Novgorod, St. Petersburg. Its austere grandeur and clarity of architectural forms stand out against many of the provincial monuments of sacral architecture of the classical period.