Binnenplaats van het Alcazar in Sevilla 1862 - 1876

This photograph captures the courtyard of the Alcazar in Seville with its series of horseshoe arches, a distinct emblem of Moorish architecture in Spain. These arches, deeply rooted in Islamic design, are not merely structural; they symbolize a gateway, a transition between worlds, evoking both physical passage and spiritual transformation. Consider how this architectural motif echoes across time and cultures. From the Roman arch to its adaptations in Byzantine and later Islamic structures, the arch represents both triumph and connection. In the collective memory, the archway taps into our subconscious desire for passage and discovery. The Alcazar's courtyard is a visual embodiment of cultural memory, a palimpsest where layers of history converge. The photograph invites us to contemplate how symbols like the arch endure, continuously reshaped by different civilizations, carrying forward echoes of the past into our present.