Gezicht op het Benedictijner klooster van San Nicolò l'Arena in Catania, Sicilië 1862 - 1876

Jean Andrieu captured this stereoscopic view of the Benedictine monastery of San Nicolò l'Arena in Catania. The dome emerges, a profound symbol, its roots stretching back to antiquity. Consider the dome’s journey: from the Pantheon in Rome, a symbol of imperial power and divine harmony, to the Christian churches of Byzantium, representing the heavens. Here, on Sicilian soil, it signifies a confluence of cultural memories. Its rounded form echoes the subconscious, a womb-like structure evoking safety and the cosmos in balance. The dome’s evolution reflects humanity's enduring quest for meaning, each culture imprinting its desires and fears onto this universal form. It transcends mere architecture, becoming a vessel of collective memory, a reminder of our shared past and the persistent human drive to reach for the divine.