Holy Trinity Church, Karakol

In the middle of the 19th century, a wave of immigration from Russia and Ukraine brought significant cultural and historical changes to Turkestan.^[4] Representatives of the Orthodox clergy, having settled in the area, began to advocate for the establishment of local prayer houses and churches.^[4] Wooden churches began to be constructed in Kyrgyzstan due to their increased earthquake resistance.^[4]

Established in 1869 as a chapel for military personnel in the garrison town of Karakol, the church was originally a small brick building on stone foundations.^[5] In 1889, the original church in Karakol was destroyed by an earthquake, and a new wooden structure was completed in 1895.^[5] After its construction, the Holy Trinity Church was the tallest building in Karakol, with the top of the cross reaching about 26 meters.^[5][3] A wooden church was erected by the Maslikov family, based on the design of engineers from Verny (now Almaty).^[6]

During its history, particularly after the 1917 Revolution, the church served various secular purposes, including a school, sports hall, theater, and even a coal store.^[5] It was briefly returned to religious use in 1947, but by 1961, it was once again secularized.^[5] By 1982, the church had been abandoned, but restoration work began in 1986.^[2] After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the church was returned to the orthodox community, with restoration responsibilities shifted to the church in 1995.^[5]