Cathedral Pokrova of the Blessed Virgin - the oldest surviving buildings in Kharkov. Stone building Pokrovsky Cathedral was built by the Cossacks outside the then boundaries of the fortress, near its northern wall in 1689 - instead of the wooden Church of Intercession (known since 1659). In the same church in 1689 consecrated by Metropolitan Abraham.

Pokrovsky Cathedral - a valuable monument of Ukrainian architecture of the second half of XVII century. This baroque three domes ("trehbannaya") Church, established on typical Russian church architecture temple warm winter. The upper, cold church is surrounded by a gallery - "opasannyam" and united "carousing" with belfry. Patterned brick trim are combined with multidisciplinary eaves with a small removal, belt rectangular basins complemented images of the sun. Harmony others grow out of other volumes, easily raise high, side by side with the harsh, severe forms of the bell tower, reminiscent of the towers.

In 1726 at the initiative of the Bishop of Belgorod Epiphany Tikhorskiy and Governor-General of Sloboda Ukraine Prince M. Golitsyn was established by the Holy Protection Monastery men of the school with the Kharkov college, the first institution of higher education in the Left Bank.

Church of the Intercession at the same time in 1729 year was the monastery and kollegiumskoy. The temple repaired, decorated and provided church utensils.

In 1732, installed in the belfry bell weighing 1.6 tons.

In the 1799-1846 Pokrovsky Cathedral was the cathedral of Kharkov.

During the XIX and early XX century in the church were the work on its decoration, repair and improvement.

In 1920 the cathedral was closed and soon began to crumble.

In 1950 an attempt was made to redecoration. In 1992, the temple along with the architectural complex of Holy Protection Monastery was returned to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.