Gezicht op de Grote Sint-Martinuskerk te Keulen 1877

Anselm Schmitz made this stereoscopic albumen print of the Great Saint Martin Church in Cologne around 1871. The choice of the stereoscopic format, popular in the 19th century, invites the viewer to experience the city as a three-dimensional space. Cologne, a city with a rich religious history, was then part of Prussia, having been annexed in 1815. The church, prominently featured, embodies the cultural and religious identity of the city. Note how the photograph emphasizes the imposing architecture of the church against the urban landscape, subtly reinforcing the power of religious institutions within the social fabric of the city. Schmitz's photograph isn't merely a depiction of a building; it's a visual statement about the relationship between religious institutions, urban space, and civic identity in a rapidly changing society. To truly understand this image, one could delve into Cologne's architectural history and the broader socio-political context of 19th-century Prussia.