Date of publication or update 05/01/2017

Temple iconostases of the late 17th – 19th centuries of Rostov the Great

Order an iconostasis best in the organization where they are engaged production of iconostases professionally, not occasionally.

Then you can be sure that an iconostasis made of wood will last for many years, decades, or even several centuries without changing the geometry, developing cracks or other defects.

There are several workshops in Russia whose craftsmen have many years of experience making carved iconostases of any complexity.

At ordering an iconostasis the cost, as a rule, is calculated individually depending on the selected material, size and complexity of the thread.

The exception is iconostases made according to standard designs, i.e. the production of which is put on stream, and which are assembled from separate standard carved modules. On the one hand, this allows you to significantly reduce the cost and production time of the iconostasis. On the other hand, even when the color and size of the iconostasis change, a certain monotony and repetition are introduced into the design of churches.

In order to order an iconostasis, send by e-mail a drawing defining the general shape of the iconostasis (the area of ​​the iconostasis may be the same, but the final cost of production may differ), and general wishes in the wood carving elements. The final cost is also influenced by the choice of material (linden, oak, beech) and finishing (tinting and varnishing; enamel painting; gold leaf).

Iconostasis in an Orthodox church

The middle part of the temple signifies, first of all, the heavenly, angelic world, the region of heavenly existence, where all the righteous who have departed there from earthly life reside. According to some interpretations, this part of the temple also marks the region of earthly existence, the world of people, but already justified, sanctified, deified, the Kingdom of God, the new heaven and the new earth in the proper sense. Interpretations agree that the middle part of the temple is the created world, in contrast to the altar, which marks the region of God’s existence, the region of the most sublime, where the mysteries of God are performed.

With such a relationship between the meanings of the parts of the temple, the altar from the very beginning had to be separated from the middle part, for God is completely different and separated from His creation, and from the very first times of Christianity such separation was strictly observed. Moreover, it was established by the Savior Himself, who deigned to celebrate the Last Supper not in the living rooms of the house, not together with the owners, but in a special, specially prepared upper room. Later the altar was separated from the temple special barriers and set himself up on a high place. The elevation of the altar from antiquity has been preserved to this day. The altar barriers have undergone significant development. The meaning of the process of gradual transformation of the altar grille into a modern iconostasis is that from about the V-VII centuries. altar barrier - lattice, which was a symbol-sign of the separation of God and the Divine from all created things, gradually turns into a symbol - the image of the Heavenly Church, headed by its Founder - the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the iconostasis in its modern form. Its front side, with its icons, faces the middle part of the temple, which we call the church, the church itself. The coincidences of the concepts of the Church of Christ in general, the entire temple as a whole, its middle part are very significant and from a spiritual point of view are not accidental.

The region of heavenly existence, which the middle part of the temple marks, is the region of the deified creature, the region of eternity, the Kingdom of Heaven, where the full circle of believers of the earthly Church strives in their spiritual path, finding their salvation in the temple, in the church. Here, in the temple, the earthly Church must therefore come into contact and meet with the Heavenly Church. In the corresponding prayers, petitions where all the saints are remembered, exclamations and actions of worship, the communication of people standing in the temple with those who are in heaven and praying with them has long been expressed. The presence of persons of the Heavenly Church has been expressed since ancient times both in icons and in the ancient painting of the temple. Until now, there was not enough such an external image that would show, reveal in a clear, visible way the invisible, spiritual intercession of the Heavenly Church for the earthly, its mediation in the salvation of those living on earth. The iconostasis became such a visible symbol, or more precisely, a harmonious set of symbols-images.

All this can be attributed to any icon, including those located in a residential building, and to the wall paintings of the temple. Individual icons in different parts of the temple and in private homes, as well as wall paintings in the temple, have both the power of the Holy Spirit and the ability, through their mediation, to bring a person into communication with those saints who are depicted on them, and testify to a person about that state of O femininity, which he himself should strive for. But these icons and compositions of wall paintings either do not create a general image of the Heavenly Church, or are not what the iconostasis is, namely the mediastinum between the altar (the place of the special presence of God) and the meeting (ecclesia), the church, of people praying together in the temple. Therefore, the iconostasis is a collection of images that acquire a special meaning because they form an altar barrier.

The mediastinum between God and the earthly people of the Heavenly Church, which is the iconostasis, is also determined by the depth of the dogma of the Church as the most necessary condition for the personal salvation of each person. Without the mediation of the Church, no amount of tension in a person’s personal striving for God will bring him into communion with Him and will not ensure his salvation. A person can be saved only as a member of the Church, a member of the Body of Christ, through the sacrament of Baptism, periodic repentance (confession), communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, prayerful communication with the entirety of the Heavenly and earthly Church. This is defined and established by the Son of God Himself in the Gospel, revealed and explained in the doctrine of the Church. There is no salvation outside the Church: “To whom the Church is not a mother, God is not a Father” (Russian proverb)!

As necessary or as occasion arises, the communication of a believer with the Celestial Church and resort to its mediation can be purely spiritual - outside the temple. But since we are talking about the symbolism of the temple, then in this symbolism the iconostasis is the most necessary external image of the mediation of the Heavenly Church.

The iconostasis is located on the same elevation as the altar. But this elevation continues from the iconostasis for some distance inside the temple, to the west, towards the worshipers. This elevation is one or several steps from the floor of the temple. The distance between the iconostasis and the end of the elevated square is filled with soleia (Greek - elevation). Therefore, the elevated solea is called the outer throne, in contrast to the inner one, which is in the middle of the altar. This name is especially appropriated to the ambo - a semicircular protrusion in the middle of the solea, opposite the royal doors, facing the inside of the temple, to the west. On the throne inside the altar, the greatest sacrament of transforming bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is performed, and on the pulpit or from the pulpit the sacrament of Communion of these Holy Gifts to believers is performed. The greatness of this sacrament also requires the elevation of the place where the sacrament is administered, and likens this place to some extent to the throne within the altar.

Pulpit in the center, solea means ascension (Greek - “pulpit”). It marks the places from which the Lord Jesus Christ preached (mountain, ship), since the Gospel is read on the pulpit during the liturgy, litanies are pronounced by the deacon, sermons and teachings are pronounced by the priests, and bishops address the people from the pulpit. The pulpit also announces the Resurrection of Christ, meaning the stone rolled away by an angel from the door of the Holy Sepulcher, which made all who believe in Christ partakers of His immortality, for which purpose they are taught from the pulpit the Body and Blood of Christ for the remission of sins and eternal life.

Solea in liturgical terms, there is a place for readers and singers, who are called faces and depict the faces of angels singing the praises of God. Since the faces of the singers thus take a direct part in the service, they are located above the rest of the people, on the salt, on its left and right sides.

In apostolic and early Christian times all Christians present at the prayer meeting sang and read, there were no special singers or readers. As the Church grew at the expense of pagans who were not yet familiar with Christian hymns and psalmody, those singing and reading began to stand out from the general environment. In addition, in view of the greatness of the spiritual significance of those who sing and read, as being likened to heavenly angels, they began to be chosen by lot from among the most worthy and capable people, as well as clergy. They began to be called clerics, that is, chosen by lot. Hence the places on the solea on the right and left where they stood received the name choirs. It should be said that clergy, or the choirs of singers and readers, spiritually designate for all believers the state in which everyone should remain, that is, the state of unceasing prayer and praise to God. In the spiritual war against sin that the earthly Church is waging, the main spiritual weapons are the Word of God and prayer. In this regard, the choirs are images of the militant Church, which is especially indicated by two banners - icons on high poles, made in the likeness of ancient military banners. These banners are strengthened at the right and left choirs and are carried out in solemn religious processions as banners of victory of the militant Church. In the XVI-XVII centuries. Russian military regiments were named after the icons that were depicted on their regimental banners. These were usually icons of the temple holidays of the most important Kremlin cathedrals, from which they complained to the troops.

In cathedral bishops' cathedrals, constantly, and in parish churches as needed, during the visits of the bishop, in the center of the middle part of the church, opposite the pulpit, there is an elevated square platform, platform for the bishop. The bishop ascends to it on statutory occasions to put on vestments and perform some of the services. This platform is called the bishop's pulpit, the cloudy place or simply the place, the locker. The spiritual significance of this place is determined by the presence of the bishop there, which represents the presence of the Son of God in the flesh among people. The bishop's pulpit in this case signifies by its elevation the height of humility of God the Word, the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ to the pinnacle of feat in the name of the salvation of mankind. For the bishop to sit on this ambo at the moments of the service provided for by the Charter, a seat-cathedra is placed. The latter name in everyday use became the name of the entire bishop's pulpit, so from here the concept of a cathedral was formed, as the main temple of the region of a given bishop, where his pulpit always stands in the middle of the temple. This place is decorated with carpets, and only the bishop has the right to stand and perform services.

Behind the vestment place (bishop's pulpit), in the western foam of the temple, double doors or gates are installed, leading from the middle part of the temple to the vestibule. This is the main entrance to the church. In ancient times, these gates were especially decorated. In the Charter they are called red, because of their splendor, or church (Typikon. Sequence of Easter Matins), since they are the main entrance to the middle part of the temple - the church.

In ancient Orthodox churches, these gates were often decorated with a beautiful, semicircular portal at the top, consisting of several arches and semi-columns, with ledges going from the surface of the wall inward, to the doors themselves, as if narrowing the entrance. This architectural detail of the gate marks the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven. According to the words of the Savior, " narrow is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life"(eternal; Matt. 7:14), and believers are invited to find this narrow path and enter the Kingdom of God through the narrow gates. The ledges of the portal are designed to remind people entering the Temple of this, creating the impression of a narrowing entrance and at the same time marking those steps spiritual perfection, which are necessary to fulfill the words of the Savior.

The arches and vaults of the central part of the temple, which find their completion in the large central domed space, correspond to the streamlining, sphericity of the space of the Universe, the vault of heaven stretched above the earth. Since the visible sky is an image of the invisible, spiritual Heaven, that is, the region of heavenly existence, the upward-striving architectural spheres of the middle part of the temple depict the region of heavenly existence and the very aspiration of human souls from earth to the heights of this heavenly life. The lower part of the temple, mainly the floor, represents the earth. In the architecture of an Orthodox church, heaven and earth are not opposed, but, on the contrary, are in close unity. Here the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Psalmist is clearly shown: " Mercy and truth will meet, justice and peace will kiss; truth will arise from the earth, and righteousness will come from heaven"(Ps. 84:11, 12).

According to the deepest meaning of Orthodox doctrine, the Sun of Truth, the True Light, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the spiritual center and pinnacle to which everything in the Church strives. Therefore, since ancient times, it was customary to place the image of Christ Pantocrator in the center of the inner surface of the central dome of the temple. Very quickly, already in the catacombs, this image takes on the form of a half-length image of Christ the Savior, blessing people with his right hand and holding the Gospel in his left, usually revealed in the text " I am the light of the world".

There are no templates in the placement of pictorial compositions in the central part of the temple, as in other parts, but there are certain canonically permitted composition options. One of the possible options is the following.

In the center domes Christ the Pantocrator is depicted. Below Him, along the lower edge of the dome sphere, are the seraphim (the forces of God). In the drum of the dome there are eight archangels, heavenly ranks called to guard the earth and peoples; archangels are usually depicted with signs expressing the characteristics of their personality and ministry. So, Michael has a fiery sword with him, Gabriel has a branch of paradise, Uriel has fire. IN sails under the dome, which are formed by the transition of the quadrangular walls of the central part into the round drum of the dome, there are images of four evangelists with mysterious animals corresponding to their spiritual character: in the northeastern sail the evangelist John the Evangelist is depicted with an eagle. On the contrary, diagonally, in the southwestern sail, is the Evangelist Luke with a calf, in the northwestern sail, the Evangelist Mark with a lion; on the contrary, diagonally, in the southeastern sail, is the Evangelist Matthew with a creature in the form of a man. This placement of the images of the evangelists corresponds to the cruciform movement of the star over the paten during the Eucharistic canon with the exclamation “whining, crying, crying and speaking.” Then along the northern and southern walls, from top to bottom, there are rows of images of the apostles from the seventy and the saints, saints and martyrs.

Wall paintings usually do not reach the floor. From the floor to the border of the images, usually shoulder-high, there are panels on which there are no sacred images. In ancient times, these panels depicted towels decorated with ornaments, which gave a special solemnity to the wall paintings, which, like a great shrine, were presented to people according to ancient custom on decorated towels. These panels have a dual purpose: firstly, they are arranged so that those praying in a large crowd of people and in crowded conditions do not erase the sacred images; secondly, the panels seem to leave a place in the lowest row of the temple building for people, earth-born, standing in the temple, for people carry within themselves the image of God, although darkened by sin, being in this sense also images, icons. This also corresponds to the custom of the Church, according to which incense in the temple is performed first on holy icons and wall images, and then on people, as bearing the image of God, that is, as if on animated icons

The northern and southern walls, in addition, can be filled with images of events in the sacred history of the Old and New Testaments. On both sides of the western entrance doors in the middle part of the temple are placed the images of “Christ and the Sinner” and the Fear of Drowning Peter.” Above these gates it is customary to place an image of the Last Judgment, and above it, if space allows, an image of the six-day creation of the world. In this case, the images the western wall represents the beginning and end of the earthly history of mankind. On the pillars in the middle part of the temple, wherever there are images of saints, martyrs, saints most revered in a given parish. The spaces between individual pictorial compositions are filled with ornaments, where images of the plant world are mainly used or images corresponding to the content of Psalm 103, where a picture of many beings is drawn, listing various God's creatures.The ornament can also use elements such as crosses in a circle, rhombus and other geometric shapes, octagonal stars.

In addition to the central dome, the temple may have several more domes in which images of the Cross, the Mother of God, the All-Seeing Eye in a triangle, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove are placed. It is customary to build a dome where there is a temple chapel. If there is one throne in the temple, then one dome is made in the middle part of the temple. If in a temple under one roof there are, in addition to the main, central one, several more temple-altars, then a dome is built over the middle part of each of them. However, the outer domes on the roof did not always, even in ancient times, strictly correspond to the number of temple-altars. Thus, on the roofs of three-aisle churches there are often five domes - in the image of Christ and the four evangelists. Moreover, three of them correspond to the chapels and therefore have an open dome space from the inside.. And two domes in the western part of the roof rise only with a roof and from the inside of the temple are closed by ceiling vaults, that is, they do not have dome spaces. In later times, from the end of the 17th century c., sometimes many domes were placed on the roofs of temples, regardless of the number of chapels in the temple.In this case, it was only observed that although the central dome had an open space for the dome.

In addition to the western, red gate, Orthodox churches usually have two more entrances: in the northern and southern walls.

In the middle part of the temple, together with other icons, it is considered obligatory to have an image Golgotha- a large wooden Cross with the image of the crucified Savior, often made life-size to the height of a person. The cross is made eight-pointed with the inscription on the top short crossbar “I H T I” (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews). The lower end of the Cross is fixed in a stand shaped like a stone hill. The front side of the stand depicts a skull and bones - the remains of Adam, revived by the Savior's feat of the cross. On the right hand of the crucified Savior is placed a full-length image of the Mother of God, directing Her gaze to Christ, on His left hand is the image of John the Theologian. In addition to its main purpose to convey to people the image of the feat of the cross of the Son of God, such a Crucifixion with those who are to come is also intended to recall how the Lord, before His death on the Cross, said to His Mother, pointing to John the Theologian: " Wife! behold, your son", and turning to the apostle: " Behold, your mother"(John 19:26-27), and thereby adopted as sons of His Mother, the Ever-Virgin Mary, all humanity who believes in God. Looking at such a Crucifixion, believers should be imbued with the consciousness that they are not only children of the God who created them, but, thanks to Christ, and the children of the Mother of God, since they partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord, which were formed from the most pure virgin blood of the Virgin Mary, who gave birth in the flesh to the Son of God. Such a Crucifixion, or Golgotha, during Great Lent is moved to the middle of the temple facing the entrance for a special reminder to people about the suffering of the Son of God on the cross for the sake of our salvation.

Where there are no proper conditions in the vestibule, in the middle part of the temple, usually near the north. walls, a table is placed with the eve ( canon) - a quadrangular marble or metal board with many cells for candles and a small Crucifix. Memorial services for the deceased are held here. The Greek word "canon" in this case means an object that has a certain shape and size. The canon with candles signifies that faith in Jesus Christ, preached by the Four Gospels, can make all the departed partakers of the Divine light, the light of eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. In the center of the middle part of the temple there should always be a lectern(or lectern) with an icon of a saint or holiday celebrated on a given day. A lectern is an elongated tetrahedral table (stand) with a flat board for the convenience of reading the Gospel, the Apostle placed on the lectern, or venerating the icon on the lectern. Used primarily for practical purposes, the lectern generally has the meaning of spiritual height, sublimity, corresponding to those holy objects that rely on it. The sloping upper board, rising upward, to the east, marks the elevation of the soul to God through the reading that is performed from the lectern or kissing the Gospel, the Cross, and the icon lying on it.

Those entering the temple worship first of all the icon on the lectern. If there are no icons of a currently celebrated saint (or saints) in the church, then the calendar is based - iconographic images of saints by month or crescent, remembered on each day of this period, placed on one icon. Temples should have 12 or 24 such icons - for the whole year. Each temple should also have small icons of all the great holidays to be placed on this central lectern on holidays. Lecterns are placed on the pulpit for the reading of the Gospel by the deacon during the liturgy. During festive all-night vigils, the Gospel is read in the middle of the church. If the service is performed with a deacon, then at what time does the deacon hold the opened Gospel before the priest or bishop. If the priest serves alone, then he reads the Gospel on the lectern. The lectern is used during the sacrament of Confession. In this case, the Little Gospel and the Cross rely on it. When performing the Sacrament of Wedding, the newlyweds are led by the priest three times around the lectern with the Gospel and the Cross lying on it. The lectern is also used for many other services and needs. It is not an obligatory sacred-mysterious Item in the temple, but the convenience that the lectern provides during worship is so obvious that its use is very wide, and almost every temple has several lecterns. Lecterns are decorated with clothes and bedspreads of the same color as the clothes of the clergy on a given holiday.

MAKING AN ICONOSTASIS

Our workshop "Northern Athos" is engaged in the production of turnkey iconostases from design to installation, painting of temples and also painting of temple icons. How much does it cost to order an iconostasis? What does the cost consist of? We will try to answer this and other similar questions in this article.
First you need to decide in what style it will be performed. The style of the iconostasis, as well as other elements of the decoration of the temple, changed over time. Now the following types of iconostases are usually ordered.
Wooden carved iconostasis.

A very common type of modern iconostasis. It is much cheaper to order than the baroque, and the beautifully toned wood, combined with well-painted icons, makes a strong impression. Such iconostases are often found in Greece, on Mount Athos. In Russia, until the 20th century, iconostases were usually gilded, but now wooden, carved items are more common.
The approximate cost of manufacturing a wooden carved iconostasis, currently in Russia, is 40-60 thousand rubles per square meter. The cost of icons is usually negotiated separately.

Baroque gilded iconostasis

Another common type of iconostasis is baroque, which developed in the 17th century. Its features are the abundance of gilded decorative elements. The making of the iconostasis occurs as follows. First, each element is cut out of wood by master carvers, then these elements are covered with gesso, after which the details are gilded for polymer and polished to a mirror shine.
Ordering a baroque iconostasis is quite expensive. Perhaps this is the most expensive type of iconostasis. The cost increases both the high consumption of gold leaf and the complex and expensive work of the gilders.
The approximate cost of manufacturing a baroque iconostasis, currently in Russia, is from 90 thousand rubles per square meter. The cost of icons is usually negotiated separately.

Icon painting workshop "Northern Athos" 2016
carved wood, gilding

History of the iconostasis.

In the church, each temple icon occupies a strictly defined place. The central part of the temple is the iconostasis. Early Byzantine iconostases consisted of one row of icons and were usually made of stone. Over time, iconostases became more complex and new elements were added to them. The classical type of a five-row iconostasis developed around the 15th century, and consisted of the following rows: the Local row, the Deesis, the Festive row, the Prophetic row, the Forefather row.
In the center of the barrier above the royal doors there are images of the Deesis order. "Deesis" means "prayer" in Greek. The eternal and indestructible prayer of the Mother of God and John the Baptist, addressed to Jesus Christ.
On Deesis icons these three figures are in the middle: in the center is the Savior, on the right is the Mother of God. on the left is John.
Initially they were painted on one board - this is what the earliest Russian Deesis icons look like. Gradually the composition became more complicated.
The images began to be written on separate boards, and gradually new characters were added to them, sometimes scenes from the Gospel. By the end of the 14th century, the Deesis rank already consisted of seven figures. For example, the Serpukhov tier, created in 1380, includes, in addition to the three-figure central icon, images of the archangels Michael and Gabriel and the apostles Peter and Paul. And the Deesis rite of the Assumption Cathedral of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery (XV century) already includes twenty-one figures.
In the 15th century, a high iconostasis with very large icons appeared (nowhere else except the Russian church is there such a thing). The idea of ​​their creation apparently belongs to Theophanes the Greek and Andrei Rublev. The images of the Deesis order, painted by them at the beginning of the century, are now in the Moscow Annunciation Cathedral
The Deesis was now perceived as a procession of holy prayer books - primates for the human race before the Savior; therefore, the composition of the personalities could change. depending on the time and place of creation of the icons. It included canonized princes and hierarchs of the Church, locally revered saints. That. exactly how the figures were depicted depended on the central image. If the center of the composition was “Savior Almighty,” then the rest of the icons were half-length, and if “Savior on the Throne” or “Savior in Power,” then the figures were depicted in full growth.
Currently, iconostases are being created, both in the Russian tradition and according to ancient Byzantine models.

6. Installation of the iconostasis

The final stage is installation in the temple. Since wood is a material quite sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity, installation must be done in a room with already established temperature and humidity. All construction and plastering work in the temple must be completed.

Selected photographs of our workshop's work.

5. Gilding of iconostasis elements

In cases where the project has gold-plated elements, the next stage is gilding. We usually use gilding on mordan, but you can also gild on polyment (more expensive and complex gilding, in which the gold is polished with an agate tooth).
Of course, gilding with gold leaf is quite expensive, both due to the high cost of the material itself and the cost of the work. If it is not possible to order gilding with gold leaf, you can perform gilding with high-quality (non-oxidizing and subsequently non-greening) gold leaf.

3. Manufacturing of carved elements

The next stage is the production of carved elements. Elements are cut out on machines; in some cases (complex elements with internal threads) they are finished manually.

MANUFACTURING PROCESS

If you decide to order the production of an iconostasis in our workshop, the manufacturing process will include the following steps.

1.Creation of a preliminary design

In accordance with the architecture of the temple, a preliminary design is developed, which is approved by the customer. At this stage, it is possible to finalize the sketch in accordance with the wishes of the customer and, in the case of churches that are architectural monuments, to bring them into compliance with the requirements of the State Property Inspectorate.

2. Development of a 3D model.

At this stage, a 3D model is made. The model is necessary for the final clarification of all details, and is subsequently used for the manufacture of wood carving elements.

St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral in Kronstadt, 2012.

Stone iconostasis in Byzantine style. 19th century. Jerusalem

Modern stone iconostasis in Byzantine style. Balaam.

Iconostasis of the Church of St. Nicholas, Cyprus. Icon painting workshop Northern Athos 2007

Iconostasis with gilding

Nowadays, eclectic iconostases are becoming increasingly common, which are difficult to attribute to any particular style. There are several reasons for the spread. Firstly, a large number of churches built in the 19th century according to a standard design are now being restored, for which it is difficult to design an iconostasis that harmoniously combines with the architecture of the temple and at the same time meets strict stylistic canons.
Secondly, the production of such iconostases can be done within a relatively small budget, which is important for poor provincial parishes. At the same time, a well-designed iconostasis will look no worse than more expensive baroque or stone iconostases.
The approximate cost of manufacturing such iconostases in Russia currently amounts to 40-90 thousand rubles per square meter. The cost of icons is usually negotiated separately.

Iconostasis of the Transfiguration Cathedral, Valaam, 2006
Icon painting workshop Northern Athos, together with other workshops

Iconostasis of the Transfiguration Cathedral, Valaam,
fragment.

Iconostasis of the Church of All Who Sorrow Joy, St. Petersburg, Icon Painting Workshop Northern Athos, 2008

Byzantine stone iconostasis.

This type of iconostasis developed in the first centuries of Christianity and was widespread in Byzantium. Has a low altar barrier. Consists of one or two tiers. The combination of white carved stone and large icons looks very elegant. At the same time, the iconostasis is not overloaded with decorative elements, and nothing distracts the attention of worshipers.
However, ordering a stone iconostasis is somewhat more difficult and expensive than a wooden iconostasis. The fact is that in Russia there are few workshops specializing in natural stone carving, and they price their work quite expensively.
As an alternative, you can order an iconostasis made of artificial stone. A good artificial stone is practically no different from the real thing, allows you to make ornaments of any complexity and is comparable in cost to a wooden carved iconostasis.
The approximate cost of manufacturing a stone Byzantine iconostasis, currently in Russia, is 70-90 thousand rubles per square meter. The cost of icons is usually negotiated separately. On a separate page of the site you can read how the cost of icons is formed.

St. Petersburg, Morskaya embankment. 37

The iconostasis is undoubtedly the most important piece of church interior. This is the face of the temple. It creates a certain prayerful mood, solemn, carrying upward or, conversely, warm, intimate, which is often found in small churches or chapels. The iconostasis usually echoes the architectural design of the temple and, along with the aesthetic one, carries a very important semantic meaning, which lies in the iconographic part. Therefore, work on the iconostasis is the work of an architect, an icon painter, a process engineer in the case of complex design solutions, a sculpture carver, a cabinetmaker or stone specialist, as well as carpenters and gilders. The creative team "Cathedral" unites all these specialists, because... making iconostases is one of the most important areas of his activity. If you want to order an iconostasis, just contact us.

• The iconostasis, combined with light festive paintings, forms a solemn architectural and artistic ensemble. The iconostasis is made using the rarest technique of using hot and cold enamels. The busy and complex iconostasis dissolves into the interior of the temple, becoming transparent and light, which creates a feeling of unearthly space - isn’t this a Miracle?

• Made in a classic style to match the existing painting and interior to preserve the integrity and harmony of the interior space.

• Author of the project: Oleg Romanenko. Iconography: Svetlana Rzhanitsyna, Alexander Golyshev, Sergei Cherny, Ekaterina Lukanina, Ekaterina Myts, Alexey Koshevoy, Irina Kolbneva. Artistic supervision of carving: Andrey Vlasov.

  The iconostasis, unique in artistic and performance terms, organically fits into the temple architecture. The light background, setting off the exquisite gilded carvings, adds lightness and airiness to the overall architectural design of the iconostasis.

• Author of the project: Oleg Romanenko. Iconography: Svetlana Rzhanitsyna, Vyacheslav Simakov, Irina Kolbneva, Alexander Golyshev, Olga Spiridonova, Alexey Litovkin. Artistic supervision of carving and basma works: Andrey Vlasov.

  The architecturally remarkable church of St. Elijah the prophet in the village. Dydyldino is a most interesting object for masters of church art. The main goal of the creators of the iconostasis is to ensure the integrity of the temple space with a wealth and variety of artistic techniques and materials. The iconostasis organically fits into the temple interior and forms a single whole with the paintings of the temple made by the LiK workshop.

• Gothic forms, organically adapted to the Orthodox tradition, are the main architectural idea of ​​the iconostasis. Plastic techniques of Russian Art Nouveau of the early twentieth century are also actively used. The iconostasis not only fits perfectly into the high architecture of the temple, but also greatly enriches it.

• Author of the project: Oleg Romanenko. Iconography: Alexey Koshevoy, Ekaterina Lukanina, Ekaterina Myts, Olga Spiridonova, Alexander Golyshev, Andrey Zharov, Alexandra Zakhvatkina. Artistic supervision of carving and basma works: Andrey Vlasov.

  Architect Oleg Romanenko developed the idea of ​​an iconostasis, previously embodied by the “Cathedral” workshop in the Transfiguration Church in the city of Igrim in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. Here it was enriched in the central iconostasis with a relief plan, more carvings and architectural finds, emphasizing the beauty of the icons, which have no less artistic significance than in Igrim, since the same team of icon painters worked here, only in a more expanded composition. The more laconic side iconostases are no less interesting and expressive.

• The original architectural design of the iconostasis and the delicate, unobtrusive decor in the form of carvings and basma framing favorably emphasize the beauty of the icons, the authors of which, famous Moscow masters, especially showed a creative and spiritual approach to their creation. The festive row, in its integrity and brevity, as well as the skill of its writing, is an architectural and picturesque frieze that unites all the picturesque design of the icons of the iconostasis. The rhythms of the silhouettes of local images are very expressive.

• The iconostasis is made of American walnut with basma inserts in the Art Nouveau style.

  Deep carving with elements of the Garden of Eden and animals is the author's development of the motifs of carved iconostases from the beginning of the last century. Life icons of St. Alexander Nevsky and Dimitry Donskoy - also a creative and independent development of icon painters. The same can be said about the rest of the iconography. Each image of the iconostasis is the result of a long and careful work of the artist, a creative approach and interesting solutions.

• Icon painting: Svetlana Rzhanitsyna, Ekaterina Myts, Alexei Koshevoy, Ekaterina Lukanina, Olga Spiridonova, Alexei Litovkin.

  The project of the basmen iconostasis was enriched with carved gilded inserts with delicate colored backgrounds. The icons, painted by some of the best Moscow masters, are painted on light backgrounds, emphasizing the airiness and lightness of the temple space.

• The iconostasis of a significant church in Moscow (Bulgarian Compound) is not an exact reconstruction of the pre-revolutionary iconostasis. It focuses on the more ancient architecture of the temple, built in the best traditions of temple construction of the 17th century. Materials - oak and basma with carved gilded inserts, were also used in the destroyed old iconostasis.

• The iconostasis of the lower church, quite brightly lit, is consciously conceived with an abundance of gold, which makes it a semantic dominant in simple and clear temple architecture and emphasizes the warmth of the sacred space.

• Icon painting under the direction of A. Sokolov.

  The restoration of the iconostasis in the Trinity Church of the Trinity-Lykov, a unique historical monument in the Naryshkin baroque style, is one of the most interesting and most responsible works of the Cathedral workshop. And if in the reconstruction of the carving the restoration task was solved exactly, which did not limit the creative possibilities of the carvers, who showed their skill with great force, then in icon painting the artists surprisingly retained their face with stylistic correspondence, which is undoubtedly very important and theologically justified when creating an image.

• This iconostasis was created for the harsh north of the Khanty-Mansiysk region, where nature rarely gives people sunlight and warmth. That's why there is so much color, patterned carvings and gilding in it. The icon painters faced a rather difficult task - to make sure that the images did not get lost in the abundance of color and gold, so that such an architecturally complex and bold iconostasis did not turn into just another “carving”. Whether they coped with this task - the answer to this question is ambiguous. But it is precisely the ambiguity of this iconostasis that makes it a significant phenomenon of church art of that time, posing new challenges for church artists and stimulating the search for ways to solve them.

Iconostasis in the temple

Iconostasis - (Greek eikonostasion, from eikon - “image, image” and stasis - “standing place”) - an altar partition separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple. The iconostasis went through a long path of development before it appeared before us in its finished, familiar form. As a rule, the iconostasis includes several rows of icons, each of which has its own symbolic meaning and occupies a special place.

In Orthodox churches, the iconostasis is the central part of the temple.

How to choose

This section presents a wide selection of finished works from our manufacturer in various finishes: from ascetic to rich options. You can also choosebuy an iconostasis ready-made, so-called "standard" project. You can alsoorder an iconostasis for Your his temple , having discussed all individual wishes with a consultant.

All questions related toprices on making an iconostasis , suitable in size for your temple, you can ask our iconostasis consultant:

Ekaterina, mobile +7-920-737-03-37.

If it is not working hours, please write to us by email: .

Choosing the style and material formaking custom iconostasis - a delicate and complex matter, since the iconostasis is the center of any temple, it must fit into both the architectural style of the temple and the overall interior. Each church is individual - and the iconostasis in it is unique.

Symbolism

Iconostasis in an Orthodox church tells the entire history of Orthodox teaching - from prophecies about the Birth of the Son of God, to His Crucifixion and Resurrection. In addition, this barrier separating the altar from the church symbolizes the boundary between the earthly and the heavenly. But the order of rows in the iconostasis is deeply symbolic. It reflects the heavenly hierarchy, and the Royal Gates are a prototype of the entrance to Paradise.

Manufacturing materials, types of finishing and inserts

Make and buy an iconostasis for the temple can be made from a wide variety of materials: wood, marble, ceramics, metal and even fiberglass. But wooden iconostases are the most common. Wood is a natural, environmentally friendly material. For iconostases, wood of the highest quality, without flaws, is selected. If the wood for making the iconostasis is properly prepared, its service life will be very long.

The finishing of iconostases, as well as the materials for their manufacture, are extremely diverse:

• thread.Twisted ornaments created using the carving technique decorate many iconostases in Orthodox churches;

• silvering, gilding unusually decorates the iconostasis, making it sparkling and solemn;

• enamel.This finish, despite the external fragility of the material, is strong and durable, in addition, it does not require special care;

• Basma.It is often used when decorating iconostasis, since this technique allows you to create a complex ornament and easily repeat it for other details.

The appearance, style and height of the iconostasis are determined by the temple of its construction, since the iconostasis is an integral part of it. Before you start creating an iconostasis, you need to study the architecture, history and style of the temple where you plan to place it. It must be commensurate with the scale and proportions of the temple and correspond to its general style. In ancient times, special church architects were involved in designing the iconostasis. Currently, this profession has been supplemented by modern technologies that allow the creation of even more advanced projects.

Iconostasis made of Botticino marble.

Thus, at the ISACIDIS company, the design of the iconostasis is carried out by architects with a church education and designers with many years of experience and specializing specifically in the design of church decoration. And the 3D modeling technology used allows you to recreate a model of the future project, thanks to which you can pre-assess what final form the church work will take. After agreeing on the model, our specialists begin the subsequent stages of implementing the iconostasis.

As for history, the first mention of the iconostasis dates back to the 4th century. At that time, they began to separate the altar from the rest of the temple with various barriers and curtains. The iconostasis takes its origins from Byzantine churches, where iconostases were created from stone. At that time they were presented in the form of a combination of parapets, columns and stone beams, which were called "templon". There was a cross in the center, and on the sides there were images of Jesus and the Mother of God. Gradually the structure became more complicated and the number of icons presented was added. In Ancient Rus', churches in their decoration largely repeated their Byzantine predecessors. But often this was not always possible, since most churches in Rus' were wooden, on the walls of which no painting was applied, and decoration and luxury were achieved by increasing the number of images in the iconostasis. So at the beginning of the 17th century, from the Byzantine prototypes to 2-3 tiers and a classic high Russian iconostasis appeared, consisting of 5 levels.

Iconostases of the 15th-17th centuries have the simplest structure and are called tyablovy (comes from the Russian “tyablo”, which means timber, or even earlier from the Latin “tabula”, which translates as board, or from the distorted Greek word “templon”). In such iconostases, icons are placed between horizontal beams, which in turn are either painted with floral patterns themselves or covered with painted boards. These beams are fixed in the recesses intended for this purpose in the northern and southern parts of the temple. This is considered the most ancient type of iconostasis, the decoration of which became increasingly rich over time. And by the 17th century, most of these iconostases had sculptural decorations and gilded carvings. It is worth noting that initially the church did not approve of this phenomenon. However, today not only iconostases, but also all church utensils are particularly luxurious.

Limestone iconostasis.

In the process of such transformations, a more complex type arose - a carved iconostasis, which from the 17th century almost completely replaced the tyablo iconostasis. The peculiarity of the carved iconostasis is that it is already a rather complex system of horizontal and vertical divisions, richly decorated with carved elements, cast plates, stucco, etc. Architraves, inter-tier cornices, and carved friezes are placed horizontally. Various columns, pilasters, half-columns with carved complex elements are located vertically.

In the 17th-18th century, the Borroque style influenced the decoration of the iconostasis, which led to an even greater complexity of its decor. Nowadays, gilding and silver are applied to carvings using different techniques, alternating polished and matte surfaces, and using colored varnishes to tint gold-plated and silver-plated elements.

By the 19th century, these techniques had already become widespread and the decoration of iconostases was supplemented by the decoration of friezes with precious stones of various colors and cuts.

A classic church of the 18th-19th centuries is characterized by the use of both a high iconostasis and an open space in the upper part of the altar. It is noteworthy that in this period the iconostasis is an architectural structure in the form of triumphal arches, porticos, or has the appearance of a “temple within a temple,” with a characteristic feature being a minimalist number of icons.

For the most part, iconostases have several rows in structure (they are also called tiers or ranks), the number of which depends on the traditional characteristics of the region and the categorization of the temple itself.

During the 15th century, iconostases had a three-tier structure, in the 16th century there were already 4 tiers, and at the end of the 17th century their number sometimes even reached 7 (then the number of storeys stopped growing). But still, design solutions of 5 tiers are most widespread.

At its core, the iconostasis personifies the history of the creation of the world and each row has its own special name and symbolic meaning.

Single-tier iconostasis

1. The first tier (bottom) is called “local”, with the royal doors. It received this name due to the location at this level of icons either depicting saints who are especially revered in a given area, or symbolizing an important local holiday.

At this level, some icons are always present, regardless of the temple.

On the right side of the Royal Doors there is always an icon of the Savior, and on the left - an image of the Mother of God. This location is not accidental and represents the meeting of everyone with Christ and the Virgin Mary before the gates and escort to the Kingdom of Heaven. On the gates themselves they depict the image of 4 evangelists (Matthew , Mark, Luke and John) and the plot of the Annunciation. Above the gate at the top of the second row is the Last Supper.

The icon on the right side of the Savior is called a “temple icon” and depicts a saint or an event to which the construction of this church is dedicated. On the left side of the Mother of God is placed a “local icon” with an image of a saint especially revered in a given region.

The southern doors (to the right of the person praying) and the northern ones (to the left) most often depict the archangels Michael and Gabriel or the archdeacons Stephen and Lawrence, respectively, but other variations are sometimes used.

All other images in the local row are occupied by saints, highly revered in this area.

A one-level iconostasis belongs to the Byzantine style and is usually installed today in small churches or, if necessary, to make the altar barrier part of the temple space without blocking the view of the painting of the altar itself.

Two-tier iconostasis

2. The second rank is located above the local one and is called “festive”. This level consists of 12 holidays (Ascension, Christmas, Transfiguration and other events significant from the point of view of the Church). And in the center of the entire composition of this level is the Last Supper icon.

It is noteworthy that in earlier periods this level was located above the Deesis, on the third level, but later it was moved lower so that parishioners could better study the holiday icons.

Two-tier iconostases, like single-tier iconostases, are created according to the Byzantine model. Their construction is often determined by the architectural features of the temple. For example, when there is a need to emphasize the semi-dome of the altar apse.

Three-tier iconostases

3. The third order is considered the most important, central and is called “Deesis”. In the central part of this row there is the icon “Savior in Power,” depicting Jesus as a judge, and (on the sides of the prophets) on both sides there are saints who turn to Christ with prayers. That is why this tier has such a name, which comes from the Greek "deisis", which means "Prayer".

A three-level iconostasis is quite common (compared to one- and two-level ones) and, like the previous two types, is created according to a Byzantine prototype. Due to its height, it organically fits into the temple space, recreating a single composition with wall frescoes.

Four-tier iconostases

4. The fourth order is called “prophetic”. While the third row, with its icons, refers believers to the New Testament, this tier takes them back to the times of the Old Testament, when the birth of Christ was predicted by the prophets. In the central part the Mother of God and Child are depicted on a throne, and prophets are placed on the sides.

The four-level iconostasis first appeared in Rus', when it was generally accepted that the entire church history would be appropriate to display on a structure that would separate the altar from the rest of the temple.

Five-tiered iconostases

5. The fifth rank is called “ancestral” and refers believers to even more ancient events. At this level, the forefathers are displayed on the sides - from Adam to Moses. In the central part the “Old Testament Trinity” is depicted, symbolizing the eternal advice of the Holy Trinity on the self-sacrifice of God in the name of atonement for the sinful fall of man. The iconostasis is crowned with an image of the crucifixion.

The five-tier iconostasis belongs to the classic high Russian iconostasis, which is the most common variation of separating the altar from the rest of the church today. This type of iconostasis makes it possible to implement the concept of a “temple within a temple,” when the iconostasis itself acts as a separate temple, which encloses a holy place.

Six-tier and seven-tier iconostases

6-7. Sometimes the sixth and seventh ranks are placed above the ancestral row, which are called “passionate”. The sixth tier is dedicated to the Passion of Christ, which depicts the torment of Jesus during the week before the Crucifixion and Resurrection. The seventh tier is dedicated to the Apostolic Passion.

In any case, no matter what iconostasis you choose, to implement the project at a high level, the professional work of real specialists is required. The Isakidis company offers to make iconostasis for the temple from natural stone. Based on the preliminary design, Isakidis architects develop working drawings, and artists work on the design of the iconostasis. Computer modeling and 3D technologies are actively used in the design process. Modern high-precision Italian equipment makes it possible to turn the most complex products into reality.

You can choose any material you like in our stone catalog and order a project. By contacting the ISAKIDIS company, you no longer have anything to worry about - our specialists will do the rest for you.

Iconostasis inlay

At the request of the customer, any model can be decorated with semi-precious and precious stones. For example, iconostases made of marble are elegant and unique, and have a special spirituality - after all, nature itself worked to create the stone. Natural marble with its unusual pattern provides the widest palette of choice and gives the finished product individuality and grandeur. And the decoration with semi-precious and precious stones allows you to give a truly luxurious look.