Noordzijde van de abdijkerk te Aduard 1900

This photograph captures the north side of the Abbey Church in Aduard, its bricks and arches standing as silent witnesses to centuries of change. The pointed arches of the windows, a hallmark of Gothic architecture, are not merely structural elements. They are echoes of upward striving, of reaching towards the divine, a concept deeply embedded in the medieval psyche. Consider these arches in relation to the triumphal arches of Roman antiquity, symbols of power and imperial glory. The Gothic arch, however, transforms this symbolism, directing the gaze—and the spirit—heavenward. This re-orientation reflects a profound shift in cultural values, from earthly dominion to spiritual aspiration. The repetition of these arches along the church façade creates a rhythm, a visual echo that resonates with the repetitive chants and prayers within. It is a form of visual incantation, designed to evoke a state of contemplation. The symbols, transcending time, resurface and evolve, perpetually weaving new meanings into the fabric of our cultural memory.