How much is the iconostasis. Carved wood iconostases at competitive prices

The iconostasis (Greek: εκονοστάσιον) is an altar partition with gates, located from the northern to the southern wall of the church, consisting of one or more rows of ordered icons, separating the altar part of the Orthodox church from the rest of the room.

Our work

Iconostasis in the chapel at the medical center in Vladivostok

Iconostasis in the Smolensk region

Iconostasis in Kamensk-Shakhtinsky

Iconostasis, Kubinka, Moscow Region, Right Limit

The iconostasis of the city of Kubinka, Moscow region Left limit

Iconostasis Moscow

How to order an iconostasis?

Order of the iconostasis- a complex and responsible business, because you need to take into account not only the proportions, the location of the icons, but also work out all the details: carving, decorative elements, approve the carving, choose the right color for the iconostasis.

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4. If the order of the price suits you, a 3D project is drawn and the exact cost of the iconostasis is calculated. The cost for simple iconostases is from 150,000 rubles. See the cost of carved iconostases

5. Coordination of the carving on the iconostasis.

6. Making an advance payment for the iconostasis.

50% for iconostases with little or no carving.

70% for iconostasis with a large number of threaded elements.

7. Production of an iconostasis from 45-90 days depending on its size.

8. Installation of the iconostasis. Payment of the remaining amount.

Installation is carried out in all regions of the European part of Russia. Installation time - 2-7 days depending on its size and complexity of installation.

An example of a carved iconostasis - 3d model. Examples of projects and cost of iconostases.

The cost of iconostases in Russia

The cost of the iconostasis depends on a number of parameters and the price can only be calculated according to the exact sketch.

Parameters affecting the cost of the iconostasis:

Length

Height

Rows: single-row iconostasis, double-row iconostasis, 3, 4, 5 row iconostasis.

The presence of threaded elements.

Iconostasis production material: MDF veneer, MDF enamel, Pine, Ash.

Presence of gold leaf.

The history of the iconostasis in Rus'

The decoration of ancient Russian churches originally repeated Byzantine customs. The Tretyakov Gallery holds a horizontal icon of a three-figure deesis with main images from an unknown temple in the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality at the turn of the 12th-13th centuries. It was apparently intended to be mounted on an architrave. There is a hypothesis that an icon similar to it with the Savior Emmanuel and two archangels was intended for the architrave in the northern part of the altar, where the entrance to the altar is located. This is supported by the content of this icon, where Christ is shown as a Sacrifice prepared for the salvation of people.

"Angel Golden Hair"

Some individual icons that were part of the Deesis tier have been preserved, for example, the Golden Haired Angel (Archangel Gabriel) in the Russian Museum. This is a small main icon of the end of the 12th century. Thus, in stone churches, an altar barrier was usually made with a deesis above the architrave and icons of Christ and the Mother of God below. Only they were originally placed not in the barrier itself, but at the eastern pillars of the temple. Such an icon from the Cathedral of Sophia in Novgorod has been preserved - a large throne icon of Christ "The Savior Golden Robe" (now in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, painting of the 11th century was renewed in the 17th). In some Novgorod churches of the 12th century, research has revealed an unusual arrangement of altar barriers. They were very tall, but their exact structure and the possible number of icons are not known.

Increasing the height of the iconostasis

A favorable situation for the growth of the altar barrier was in wooden churches, which were the majority in Rus'. They did not do wall painting, which is always very important in Byzantine churches, so the number of icons could increase.

It is not known exactly how the altar barrier grew and when it turned into an iconostasis. The royal gates of the 13th-14th centuries, belonging to the Novgorod and Tver icon-painting schools (TG), have been preserved. On their solid wooden wings, the Annunciation is depicted on top, and Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostom are depicted in height from below. Temple icons, that is, images of saints or holidays, in honor of which temples were consecrated, came from the 13th century. They could also already be placed in the bottom row of the barrier. For example, these include the Pskov icons "Assumption" and "Ilya the prophet with life."

Iconostasis, Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

By the 14th century, the icons of the deesis increase in size, they are usually painted at least seven. The State Tretyakov Gallery keeps the Deesis tier of the Cathedral of the Vysotsky Monastery in Serpukhov. These are seven waist icons of a very large size, made in Constantinople. After the Mother of God and John the Baptist, they depict the archangels Michael and Gabriel, the apostles Peter and Paul. A deesis tier from Zvenigorod (beginning of the 15th century, Tretyakov Gallery) had a similar composition, three surviving icons of which are attributed to the hand of St. Andrei Rublev.

An early example of a festive rite is given by three horizontal icons with 12 feasts from the Sophia Cathedral in Veliky Novgorod (XIV century). Initially, this rank stood on the ancient altar barrier of the cathedral, and in the 16th century it was included in the new high iconostasis, occupying the third row of icons (now the icons are in the Novgorod Museum).

The first example of a full-length deesis tier is an icon from the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. This rank is distinguished both by its composition - it contains 11 icons - and by their size (height 210 cm). At present, it is precisely established that this rank could not originally be intended for the Annunciation Cathedral, but was transferred to it from another temple (which one has not yet been established, although there are many hypotheses). The time of creation of icons is considered either the beginning of the XV century, or 1380-90. The central icons are still often attributed to the hand of Theophanes the Greek. The most important iconographic feature of this rank is the image on the central icon of the Savior in Power, that is, Christ on the throne, surrounded by heavenly powers. Later, this iconography will become the most common for Russian iconostases, replacing the simpler image of the Savior on the throne (it was more common in Novgorod).

Above the Deesis tier in the Annunciation Cathedral is a festive one, consisting of 14 icons (two more were added later). The origin of the festive rite is also unclear, as well as the deesis. It is generally believed that the deesis and feasts come from the same iconostasis. The authorship of the icons is unknown, but it is clear that the feasts were painted by two different icon painters. For a long time, the first half of the icons was attributed to the hand of Andrei Rublev, but now this hypothesis is highly doubtful.

The Orthodox faith from time immemorial calls a person to cleanse his soul, to get rid of sins in order to achieve the Kingdom of Heaven. The symbolic gate between the earthly space and the heavenly world is the church iconostasis. It visibly separates the altar from the place of common visit, as if reminding a person that there is a certain line between him and the Supreme Creator. It is impossible for anyone to cross this line without the charitable mediation of the chosen righteous.

According to its structure, the Orthodox church iconostasis consists of three sections. In its center, opposite the throne, are the Royal Doors. Only priests can enter the altar through them. For the eyes of the parishioners, the Royal Doors are opened only on special occasions. Latticed doors with carved patterns are hung with a symbolic veil that preserves the sacrament of the Holy Place and is lifted only a few times a year. Only on a special day can believers look at what is happening in the altar, absorbing with their own eyes the process of transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts. According to the church canon, it is customary to place an icon depicting the Last Supper above the Royal Doors.

Along the edges of the Royal Doors are the North and South Gates. Unlike the double-winged Royal ones, they consist of a single leaf, and in their decoration they are inferior to the central entrance to the altar. Priests pass through the outermost gate on ordinary days and during statutory services. On the side of the altar, behind the southern and northern gates, there is a deacon and an altar. The entire front part of the church iconostasis, facing the center of the temple, is crowned with images with the faces of the Holy Ones. Following the ancient church canons, in the manufacture of the iconostasis, its multi-tiered structure is strictly observed. Each of the five rows has its own sacred meaning, which is displayed in the icons placed on it.

The arrangement of the tiers of the church iconostasis

At the very top of the iconostasis, in the Ancestral Row, the most respected place is occupied by icons with the faces of the Old Testament patriarchs. In the center is the "Holy Trinity". Below is the Prophetic row, symbolizing the Old Testament church. The central icon here is “The Sign”. It depicts the Heavenly Queen with a baby on her lap. The third row from the top is called the Festive. Its name is characterized by Shrines, symbolizing the main Orthodox holidays, from Christmas to the Dormition. The Deesis row at its head places the icon of the “Savior”, supported on both sides by the faces of the Mother of God and John the Baptist, as well as by a host of Saints. It symbolizes the Deesis row of the Heavenly Church of Christ.

The very last, lower row of the church iconostasis is called Local. In it, the central faces of the Savior, the Virgin Mary and the temple icon are placed near the Royal Doors of the iconostasis. The rest of the space is reserved for images of a local character, in other words, the most revered in the area where the temple was directly erected.

The mere fact that near the iconostasis are the most important Christian sacraments, and he himself symbolizes the church from its origins to the Last Judgment, tells us about the importance of this symbol for Orthodoxy. In terms of its energy, supported by revered images, the church iconostasis is comparable to the power of faith and the purity of thoughts that the clergy and parishioners of the temple carry in themselves. It reveals the true close connection between the earthly world and the Kingdom of Heaven. Accepting Holy Communion from the hands of God's mediators and bowing his forehead in confession, the believer is under the invisible protection of the faces and symbols erected on the Orthodox church iconostasis.

MANUFACTURE OF AN ICONOSTASIS

Our workshop "North Athos" is engaged in the manufacture of turnkey iconostases from design to installation, painting churches and writing temple icons. How much does it cost to order an iconostasis? What makes up the cost. 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 took shape in the 17th century. Its features are the abundance of gilded decorative elements. The manufacture of the iconostasis is 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 an iconostasis. Early Byzantine iconostases consisted of one row of icons and were usually made of stone. Over time, iconostases became more complex, 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 are the images of the Deesis tier. "Deisus" in Greek means "supplication". The eternal and indestructible prayer of the Mother of God and John the Baptist, addressed to Jesus Christ.
On the icons of the deesis, these three figures are in the middle: in the center is the Savior, on the right is the Mother of God. John on the left.
Initially, they were written on the same board - this is how the earliest Russian deesis icons look like. Gradually the composition became more complex.
Images began to be written on separate boards, 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-figured central icon, images of the archangels Michael and Gabriel and the apostles Peter and Paul. And the deesis tier of the Assumption Cathedral of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery (XV century) already includes twenty-one figures.
In the 15th century, a high iconostasis with icons of a very large size appeared (nowhere, except for the Russian church, there is such a thing). The idea of their creation belongs, apparently, to Feofan Grek and Andrey Rublev. The images of the Deesis tier, written by them at the beginning of the century, are now in the Moscow Cathedral of the Annunciation.
Deesis was now perceived as a procession of holy prayer books - primates for the human race before the Savior; Therefore, the composition of personalities could change. depending on the time and place of creation of icons. It included canonized princes and hierarchs of the Church, locally revered saints. That. how exactly the figures were depicted depended on the central image. If the center of the composition was "The Almighty Savior", then the rest of the icons were half-length, and if "The Savior on the Throne" or "The 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 formed temperature and humidity. All construction and plastering work must be completed in the temple.

Selected photographs of the works of our workshop.

5. Gilding of the elements of the iconostasis

In cases where there are gilded elements in the project, the next stage is gilding. Usually we use mordan gilding, but we can also gild polyment (more expensive and complex gilding, in which gold is polished with an agate tooth).
Of course, gilding with gold leaf is quite expensive, both because of the high cost of the material itself and the cost of work. If it is not possible to order gilding with gold leaf, you can perform gilding with high-quality (non-oxidizing, and subsequently not turning green) gold leaf.

3. Making carved elements

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

MANUFACTURING PROCESS

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

1. Creation of a draft 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 refine the sketch in accordance with the wishes of the customer and, in the case of temples that are an architectural monument, to bring it into line with the requirements of the GIOP.

2. Development of a 3D model.

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

St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral in Kronstadt, 2012

Stone iconostasis in the Byzantine style. 19th century. Jerusalem

Modern stone iconostasis in the Byzantine style. Balaam.

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

Iconostasis with gilding

Currently, more and more eclectic iconostases are found, 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 project are being restored, for which it is difficult to design an iconostasis that is in harmony with the architecture of the temple and at the same time meets strict stylistic canons.
Secondly, in the manufacture of such iconostases, one can meet 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 is currently 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 North 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 of North Athos, 2008

Byzantine stone iconostasis.

This type of iconostasis developed in the first centuries of Christianity and was widespread in Byzantium. It 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 the worshipers.
However, ordering a stone iconostasis is somewhat more difficult and expensive than an iconostasis made of wood. The fact is that there are few workshops in Russia that specialize in natural stone carving, and they value their work quite expensively.
As an alternative, you can order an iconostasis made of artificial stone. A good artificial stone practically does not differ from the real one, it allows you to make ornaments of any complexity and is comparable in cost to a carved wooden 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 cost of icons.

St. Petersburg, Morskaya nab. 37

The project for the iconostasis is done in accordance with the architecture of the temple, for this we ask you to send photos, or a specialist gets acquainted with the architecture on the spot. Next, the chief architect draws a sketch, after its approval, prepares a project. You can also take as a basis the previously completed works of the "Promysl" workshop, which are laid out in this section, but in this case the iconostasis will be individual, since there is a link to the architecture of the temple, as we talked about above. Also, the iconostasis can be ordered from any type of wood (cedar, pine, alder, linden, ash, oak) according to your own model, which is closer to your liking. From the beginning of design to installation takes 2-7 months. The price of the iconostasis is formed depending on its design features, complexity of execution, material and size. The iconostasis can be wooden, carved, gilded. After agreeing and approving the project, the workshop asks for 20% of the cost of the iknostasis, and the team of craftsmen begins to manufacture it. Then there is a phased payment for the work, we offer 5 stages, at the request of the customer, the work can be divided up to 10 stages. The workshop sends a weekly photo report with comments, and the customer can also watch the creation of the iconostasis daily through webcams installed in the carpentry workshop. Delivery and assembly of the iconostasis is included in the total cost. To date, the workshop "Promysel" has created more than 70 church iconostases. We are attentive to your wishes. All customers were satisfied with our specialists and approach to business. The workshop of church utensils "Promysel" produces high-quality iconostases and offers them at very affordable prices. We will be happy to advise you on any issues related to the manufacture of custom-made iconostases, please contact us.

Price per sq.m.: 52 500

Measurements, sketch, design, delivery (up to 1000 km from Moscow) and assembly are included in the basic cost.

For detailed working conditions of our workshop, see the bottom of the page and in the "Delivery and payment" section.