In some way "responsible" for the emergence of the Transfiguration Cathedral in St. Petersburg is the Emperor Peter the great, who created a 'mock' regiment, later to become the basis of the Preobrazhensky guards regiment. This is the regiment in 1741 helped Peter's daughter, Elizabeth, to make a Palace coup and become Empress. A few days after the coup, Elizabeth in memory of this great event commanded to build in the location of the barracks of the regiment of the Church, as a sign of gratitude to the Lord for the great mercy extended to her.

Since 1743 in the Transfiguration settlements under the guidance of the best architects of St. Petersburg Mikhail Zemtsov, Domenico Trezzini, Francesco Rastrelli was carried out the construction of the stone Church of the Transfiguration. The Empress personally laid the first stone in the Foundation of this Cathedral, took an active part in the construction of control over the design when it was introduced all the new suggestions, to directly oversee the process of construction. It is showing the Cathedral was designed in the image of the Dormition Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin with the traditional five-domed Russian churches closing. In 1754, in the presence of the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, a solemn consecration of Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, which was named regimental Cathedral. In 1796, Emperor Paul I ordered to name the Church "the Cathedral of all guards".

In 1825 the Cathedral, which was considered at that time great, one of the best in St. Petersburg caught fire due to negligence of workers, remontirovanniy dome of the Cathedral. The flames raged for eight hours, and as a result from the building, only the walls remained. The dedication of the temple servants and parishioners helped save main shrines. The restoration of the Church began immediately on the orders of Tsar Alexander I. the project Manager was appointed by the famous architect Vasily Petrovich Stasov.

Recreating the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral, the architect tried not to back down from appearance, the forms of the Church, designed by Zemtsov. But he made changes, in keeping with his vision, the tide of history and tradition of classical architecture: the Western facade was decorated with twelve four-columned portico with a pediment, Central and side domes of the Cathedral were attached to a hemispherical shape, has changed significantly and the interior. The magnificent iconostasis and the altar canopy, created from drawings by Stasov, decorated with pilasters and columns of the Corinthian order. In the center of the arch of the main dome, which is painted in the color of the sky that depicts the star with radiating beams. The temple is illuminated by a high semicircular Windows, walls decorated with murals with military attributes, the Central dome is decorated with bas-reliefs - garlands with the heads of cherubs. The Cathedral is dvadtsatichetyrehrunny cross. The main dome is crowned with an eight-metre cross.

The iconostasis of the Cathedral - wood four-tier - has the form of a triumphal arch with a hemispherical vault above the Royal doors. It is decorated with gilded carvings on a white background. The icons for the iconostasis were painted by prominent artists - V. Shebuyev, A. Ugryumov, and A. Ivanov. In the center of the Cathedral is a five - tier chandelier with 120 candles, created under the supervision of V. Stasov, who now serves as an interior decoration. On the belfry of the Cathedral before it was 13 bells, but now only six remain. The total area of the Cathedral is 1180 m2 and its height is 41, 5 meters. The Cathedral can accommodate up to 3,000 worshippers.

On a gilded dome during construction did not have enough money, but he has found a truly brilliant solution – now dome gleam of burnished metal.

Around the Cathedral, designed by Stasov was divided into square, surrounded by a fence, for the construction thereof have been used trunks trophy guns taken captive from the walls of the Turkish fortress Izmail, Varna, Tulcea and Silistra. So the fence has become a symbol of Russia's victory in the Russo-Turkish war of 1828, Inside the Cathedral there is a memorial plaque with the list of officers of the Preobrazhensky regiment, died in 1702 – 1917 the glory of Russian arms.

In 1886, the architect of Slupsk on donations of parishioners were lined up in the fence a chapel with stained glass Windows, "written for protection from moisture and damage the painting, zinc". Here is a lovely image of our lady of Tikhvin, in gilded silver Riza, studded with precious stones.

Magnificent Transfiguration Cathedral was never closed, was always valid, since 1829. During the siege and defense of Leningrad, the clergy of the Cathedral was organized in the basement bomb shelter. Now this is one of the most magnificent structures of the front of Petersburg, and no wonder it has long been the most visited temple in the city.