The Ioanno-Predtechensky Monastery was founded by St German, Bishop of Kazan, sometime between 1564 and 1568 and is dedicated to St John the Baptist (known as Ioann Predtech in Russian). Originally it was established as a podvorye (a representation church) of the Sviyazhsky Uspensky Monastery, also founded by St German. The original wooden buildings were destroyed by fire in 1649 and then replaced with stone buildings. The monastery's Presentation of Mary Church dates from this time being consecrated in 1652. However the monastery was once again badly damaged by fire in 1815 and restoration work continued up to 1819. 

Closed from 1929 until 1992, today the monastery's only church is the Presentation of Mary Church, its Beheading of John the Baptist Cathedral and the original bell tower were all destroyed by the Bolsheviks.