Gezicht op de abdij van Murbach before 1894

Charles Bernhoeft created this photographic print of Murbach Abbey. Its towers, reaching towards the heavens, are a testament to spiritual aspiration. These twin towers evoke a sense of balance and symmetry, yet their verticality pulls our gaze upward, a visual echo of humanity's perennial quest for the divine. Consider the ziggurats of ancient Mesopotamia, structures also designed to bridge the earthly and celestial realms. This reaching towards the sky is also found in gothic cathedrals, and modern skyscrapers. The abbey, framed by the natural world, subtly blends the sacred and the secular. Such a motif speaks to our collective memory, reminding us of the enduring human need to find meaning and connection. This interplay taps into a deep, subconscious level, inviting reflection on the cyclical nature of faith and its manifestations across time.