The Church of Saint Nicholas at the Galleys (Tserkov sviatogo Nikoly v Galeyakh) is situated near from the Church of the Ascension.
This is a very interesting Church. The archaic word "galeya" in its name was used for large vessels of the galley type propelled by oars. Evidently there was a quay here at the bottom of the hill, and above it on the hillside a wooden Church was built dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of travellers. The Church is mentioned in twelfth-century records.
The present building was built in 1735 from funds donated by a rich coachman, Ivan Grigorievich Pavlygin, as the inscription by the west door tells us. It is one of the so-called refectory or trapeznaya type Church, i.e., the main square-shaped building of the Church adjoined on its western wall with a low refectory, linking it with the bell tower. The unknown architect of this Church built it in a style predominant in the seventeenth century. The ensemble is beautifully proportioned. The main part of the Church consists of gradually diminishing octagons on a square base. This plan first appeared in Russian mediaeval wooden architecture and was later imitated in the stone Churches at the end of the seventeenth century. The main octagon is particularly fine, with its slender semi-columns at each corner and elegant carving round the windows which stands out in sharp relief against the flat white surface of the walls. The bell tower with its strong rectangular pillars reminiscent of Pskov architecture harmonize beautifully with the main building of the Church by virtue of its light, graceful proportions and the interplay between the smooth square-shaped lower section, the octagon-shaped middle section with its belfry, and the light octagonal tent-shaped roof. The outside of the ensemble is decorated with green, glazed tiles.
The Church fits in beautifully with the surrounding landscape and the whole southern aspect of the town. Its slender white silhouette stands out well against the darker background of gardens and houses stretching up the hill. It seems most likely that the Church was built by a Suzdal architect. We can see buildings in extremely similar style in Suzdal.