The painting is painted among other architectural sketches during the N.K. Roerich’s expedition in the old Russian towns. Newspapers of that time wrote:

“The artist spent part of the past summer to travel to western and central Russia, having visited Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Nizhny Novgorod, Yuriev-Polsky, Vladimir, Suzdal, Rostov the Great, Smolensk, Vilna, Trakai, Grodno, Kovno, Merech, Riga, Wenden, Pechory, Izborsk and Pskov. The aim of this trip was to bring to the canvas the monuments of ancient architecture, partly collapsing or already collapsed. N.K. Roerich was helped by his wife, who worked as a photographer”.

The Church of the Savior on the Porch was the main temple of the Rostov bishop’s house. It was built in 1675. This church emphasized the primacy of priests over the secular power. During the church service, the heads of tsars were at the level of the clergy’s feet.

The church has an unusual, unique interior with an arcade resting on gilded pillars. One of these pillars, with a banner in front of him, and a fragment of painted arched girder, are depicted in the painting by Nikolay Roerich.