If you want to see the main sights of Simferopol, then Petropavlovsk Cathedral is one of them. This temple is the second oldest Orthodox church in the city. And, like The Temple of Saints Constantine and Helen, it suffered a lot in difficult periods for the country. The fate of the Peter and Paul Cathedral is not easy.
The very first prerequisite for the construction of this temple were the words of Empress Catherine II in 1787, who was passing through Simferopol and saw the poor Constantine and Helen church, she ordered to erect a new cathedral church.
The first prerequisite for the construction of this temple were the words of Empress Catherine II in 1787, who was passing through Simferopol and saw the poor Constantine and Helen church, she ordered to build a new cathedral church.
The construction began only in 1805. The inhabitants of the city were tired of waiting for the authorities to find funds for the construction and raised them themselves.
The church built in 1806 was consecrated on November 8 and named in honor of the holy apostles Peter and Paul — «disciples of Christ, and the foundation of the Church, true pillars and walls and trumpets of Christ’s divine teachings and sufferings». They were martyred in 76 A.D. at the hands of Emperor Nero.
The Peter and Paul Cathedral was originally wooden, the citizens did not have enough money for painting and more expensive materials. The main decoration of the cathedral was the iconostasis, and the bells were cast from copper, which was left after the closure of the mint of Ak-Mechet.
After 20 years, the wooden church became dilapidated, and Simferopol built another one — Alexandro-Nevsky Cathedral, and all the church property was transferred to the new cathedral. The Peter and Paul Cathedral was closed for 40 years.
In 1866 the wooden cathedral was dismantled, and in its place a new church was erected, 
nova not without the help of parishioners — 32 of the necessary 55 thousand rubles were collected by the citizens. Now Peter and Paul Cathedral was built according to the project of the architect from St. Petersburg K.Lazarev. It was built in the form of a cross, with 12 windows, which were arranged in the drum, and its interior decoration had a special elegance: the iconostasis, created by master Zaitsev, admired the beauty of icons in the Byzantine style.
An interesting story, which has come down to us from the words of Bishop Hermogenes: during the Crimean War, an unknown officer left in the church an icon of the «Holy Trinity», painted in 1693.
Cathedral re-consecrated August 16, 1870, it was opened women’s and men’s schools, church and parish trusteeship. Simferopol residents have always loved this temple and constantly engaged in its improvement, but during the war years the temple was turned into a warehouse, then it was in terrible disrepair: was lost fence, bell tower, crosses. And so it continued until 1980, when the authorities, recovered from the oblivion of faith, bitterness and remorselessness, began to restore the Peter and Paul Cathedral.
The second oldest Orthodox church in Simferopol was given due attention, and now it once again welcomes parishioners and decorates the «old city» with its radiance. After the restoration of the Peter and Paul Cathedral has acquired a beautiful architectural appearance: elements of Old Russian architecture are organically combined with classical forms, high windows are decorated with white stone platbands, and the upper part of the temple — zakomars with round niches and stepped cornice. The temple is crowned with a light drum with a dome in the form of a «bulb».
When going on holiday in Crimea, be sure to visit the second oldest Orthodox church in Simferopol. Since 2008, in the temple rests Archbishop of Tauris Guria Karpova, who was ranked among the saints, and in 2004, a miracle happened here: on the glass behind the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, his handmade face appeared. Now the face is exhibited next to the icon and can be seen by all parishioners.