The foundation of the Dominican Monastery dates back to the second half of the 13th century when Constance, the wife of Lev I of Galicia, commissioned the construction of a small wooden church in gratitude for the generosity of the local Dominican monks. Eventually destroyed by fire in 1408, a Gothic-era stone church was constructed in its place. The monastery, which could accommodate more than 100 monks, experienced its heyday beginning in 1612 when it become the central monastery of the Eastern European Dominican Order. In 1742 cracks were detected in the cathedral’s arch. An emergency meeting was convened and all rescue options were exhausted. Demolition commenced in 1749. Construction on the new cathedral, designed by architect Jan de Witte, began shortly after. The bell tower was constructed in 1865. During the Soviet era the site was used as a regional archive and as a school for would be printing workers. After restoration in 1972 the Dominican Monastery opened as a museum dedicated to the history of religion and atheism; the atheists have since left the building. Religious services have also resumed.