The church was built in honor of the Russian king Alexander II, called "Tsar Liberator" after the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule in 1878y. The decision was taken in 1880y. from the Constituent Assembly in Turnovo. The temple was built with donations of the Bulgarian people in the period 1904-1912 and designed by the Russian architect Al. Pomerantsev. After it's completion in 1912 the decoration was assigned to a list of prominent Russian and Bulgarian specialists, architects, painters and sculptors. With an area of 3170 square meters and height of the tower - 50 meters, it is one of the largest churches in the Balkans. There is a crypt at the basement of the church, which holds for display one of the most valuable icons in Bulgaria. The exhibits there date from the 9th century until the end of 19th century. This collection is the most representative collection, revealing the development of iconography in Bulgaria.