The beautiful Our Lady of the Sign Cathedral was once the main cathedral of the Znamensky Monastery which was founded in 1629-1631 by Tsar Michael on the location of what was once his family's estate. The two-story five-domed cathedral was built between 1679 and 1684. After the secularisation of 1764 the monastery started to decline in status although this was eventually reversed by the end of the century. In 1812 it was sacked by French Troops but subsequent restored by 1827. In 1923 the Znamensky Monastery was closed, despite it just having been restored 10 years earlier for the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov. The cathedral was firstly used as housing but later restored between 1963 and 1972. It was returned to the Orthodox Church in 1992 and now serves as the Patriarch's Podvorye (embassy church) at Zaryadye, which includes all the churches along Varvarka. Surrounding the cathedral are two more buildings which were once part of the Znamensky Monastery - the late 18th century bell tower opposite and the chambers next door.

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