Gezicht op Victoria Tower before 1869

This is a photograph of Victoria Tower by John Harrington. The tower, a paragon of neo-Gothic architecture, dominates the skyline. These architectural forms are laden with meaning, harking back to the medieval era, a time seen as both mystical and hierarchical. The tower, in its verticality, is a symbol of aspiration, a reaching towards the heavens. This is not unique to Christian Europe; think of the Tower of Babel or the ziggurats of ancient Mesopotamia. These structures are echoed across cultures, each striving to connect with the divine, with a transcendental realm, and with a central authority. The Victoria Tower as a symbol of state power also shares traits with castle towers, where the ruler overlooks his land. Yet it also shares something with religious architecture and spires. It is in this constant return and re-elaboration that we see the persistence of human striving to transcend our earthly bonds.