Hotel Maximiliaan in München, Duitsland 1868

This stereoscopic photograph by Charles Gaudin captures the Hotel Maximiliaan in Munich. The most striking element is the series of arches that define the building’s façade. These arches, reminiscent of Roman aqueducts and Gothic cathedrals, speak to the architectural memory embedded in our collective consciousness. The arch as a symbol has appeared throughout history, from ancient triumphal arches celebrating military victories to the sacred arches in religious structures signifying a gateway to the divine. Over time, the arch has shifted in meaning, but its foundational essence as a symbol of passage remains. Psychologically, the arch represents a bridge between the known and the unknown, a passage through time and space. This image, with its repetition of arches, evokes a sense of progression, of moving forward while also being anchored to the past. The arches, therefore, are not merely structural elements, but rather powerful symbols that resonate deep within us.