Abbadia Vecchia ("The Old Abbey") - Taormina 

Giuseppe Bruno captured the Old Abbey of Taormina in this photograph. We see a ruined building of formidable stone. The crenellations along the top edge speak of a time of defense, of vigilance. The pointed arches of the windows are particularly evocative. This Gothic arch, a symbol of upward aspiration, reappears across Europe. We see it in the soaring cathedrals of France, reaching for the heavens, but here, the abbey lies in ruins. This potent symbol is now part of a fractured structure overtaken by nature. This juxtaposition speaks volumes about the cyclical nature of history and the ephemerality of human endeavors. The emotional weight of such images connects us to the past, reminding us of the continuous play between creation and destruction. The symbols endure, though their contexts shift, echoing through time.