The small Knyaz-Vladimirsky Public Gardens between Prospekt Dobrolyubova and Ulitsa Blokhina in the west of Petrogradsky Island are named after the cathedral located there - St Vladimir's Cathedral. The cathedral is dedicated to Grand Prince Vladimir the Great who was later canonised by the Russian Orthodox Church. The first church to stand here was built out of wood in 1708 and dedicated to the Dormition of Virgin Mary. This was replaced in 1719 by a news church built out of wattle and daub, which subsequently gained the status of a cathedral. Plans to replace this structure with a five-domed cathedral with a three-tier bell tower were drawn up in 1765 by the architect Antonio Rinaldi and work began in 1766. The project faced a setback in the form of a fire in 1772 and construction was only completed in 1789 under the guidance of architect Ivan Starov. The change in architect can been seen by the mix of baroque and classical elements of architectural style. Upon completion the cathedral was dedicated to St Vladimir.

After the Revolution the cathedral was transferred to the Renovationist Church from 1922 to 1923 and then completely closed in 1926. However it was reopened in 1927 and remained open ever since; even becoming the residence of the metropolitan of Leningrad from 1938 to 1941. It also held the miracle-working St Petersburg copy of the Our Lady of Kazan Icon from 1940 to 2001 when it was returned to the city's Our Lady of Kazan Cathedral.