---
title: "The Iconostasis — Church history"
description: "The tiers of icons between the sanctuary and the nave. The Orthodox Church calendar, icons, prayers, lives of saints and Church history on spas.life."
url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/basics-iconostasis"
language: "en"
---

Basics of the faith

# The Iconostasis

The tiers of icons between the sanctuary and the nave.

## Structure

The classic Russian high iconostasis (15th–16th centuries) has tiers: the local tier (the Saviour, the Theotokos, the patronal icon, the royal doors), the Deesis, the festal, the prophets and the forefathers.

## The royal doors

The Holy Gifts are carried out through the royal doors, which bear the Annunciation and the four evangelists. The side (deacons') doors show archangels or deacons.

## Related

- [The Layout of an Orthodox Church](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/basics-temple)
- [How to Read an Icon](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/icon-how-to-read)