Drie gezichten op Hamburg, afgebeeld de Sankt Katharinenkirche, Steckelhörn-Fleth en een gebouw van de Hamburg-Amerikaanse pakketvaart 1894

Here is a photograph of Hamburg by Wilhelm Dreesen. The most striking feature in each of the three panels is the vertical architectural structure, most dominant in the church tower of Sankt Katharinenkirche. Such towers ascend like the Tower of Babel, yet instead of representing hubris, their spires evoke a longing for the divine. We see similar aspirations in Gothic cathedrals across Europe, each reaching for transcendence. These vertical lines are not merely architectural; they are visual embodiments of our collective yearning to connect with something beyond our earthly existence. Consider how the upward thrust affects us, stirring deep-seated emotions and aspirations. Such persistent motifs are not linear, but cyclical, constantly resurfacing, evolving, and adopting new meanings in different contexts.