Exterieur van Welch Hall van Yale University te New Haven before 1895

This photograph captures the exterior of Welch Hall at Yale University in New Haven, its maker now lost to time. The building’s architecture is dominated by the pointed arch, a staple of Gothic design. Emerging in medieval Europe, the pointed arch isn’t merely a structural choice. Symbolically, it directs the eye heavenward, embodying aspirations for enlightenment. Consider the Gothic cathedrals, where these arches frame stained glass windows. We see echoes of this yearning for knowledge here, translated to the hallowed halls of academia. This visual language has evolved through time. From religious fervor in the Middle Ages to secular, intellectual pursuits in the New World, the arch remains a potent symbol of human ambition and the quest for understanding. In Welch Hall, the gothic arch serves as a container for collective memory, resonating with the enduring human impulse to seek, to learn, and to transcend.