Gezicht op de oude walmuur in de tuin van de Zusters onder de bogen te Maastricht 1898

This photograph captures a view of the old city wall in the garden of the Sisters under the Arches in Maastricht. The steeple of a church looms in the background, its pointed form directing the eye upward. Spires such as this one have long served as symbols of aspiration, a visual embodiment of humanity's yearning for the divine. In many cultures, the pointed arch and the spire echo the 'axis mundi', a cosmic axis connecting the earthly and the celestial realms. Think of the obelisks of ancient Egypt or the minarets of Islamic architecture. The steeple as a symbol has undergone a transformation, evolving from pagan symbols to Christian motifs and beyond. Here, the steeple pierces the sky. It serves as a reminder of how cultural symbols endure, shape-shifting through history, reflecting our eternal quest for transcendence. In this quiet corner of Maastricht, we see echoes of humanity's aspirations resonating across time.