The Saint Prophet Elijah Church modern building was constructed in 1785. Although Ilyinskaya Sloboda is situated at a distance from St. Petersburg, three successive churches previously stood at this church’s site, with the first one built in 1717. This level of activity was due to the church's proximity to the Okhtinsky Powder Plant, one of the largest armament factories of the XVIII and XIX centuries.

The building, erected in 1785, was designed in a rotunda form. The exterior decor repeats rhythmically around the entire circumference of the church. It features sixteen Ionic columns, each with paired windows: a tall arch at the bottom and a circular window above it. In 1806, architect Fyodor Demertsov added a warm chapel with a bell tower rising above it. The chapel harmoniously complements the original structure as it mirrors its rhythmic composition.

During the Soviet period, the church was closed. For a time, the building was used by the air defense forces. In 1974, a fire broke out in the church. Restoration work was initiated in 1983 and completed in 1989, after which the church was reopened to visitors.