Romanesque Transept of Nidaros Cathedral, Norway 1070

Editor: Here we have an image of the Romanesque Transept of Nidaros Cathedral in Norway, dating back to 1070. What strikes me immediately is the sheer scale of it – this stone giant looming with an aura of ancient solemnity. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It looms, yes, but I see it also as a song sung in stone. Imagine the hands that shaped those very stones, nearly a thousand years ago, driven by faith and ingenuity. Romanesque architecture is rooted in a rediscovery of classical Roman forms—those sturdy arches and thick walls—but here in Norway, it takes on a distinct, almost severe, character. The photograph almost has the qualities of an etching - every rough edge contributing to a sense of age and strength, enduring through Nordic winters and historical tempests. Do you sense that enduring strength as well? Editor: I do. It’s interesting you call it a ‘song’—I mostly think of Romanesque architecture as defensive, but there’s something almost devotional about the details. Curator: Exactly! It’s both fortress and prayer. The small windows are less about seeing the outside world and more about containing the spiritual energy within, think of the flickering candlelight and Gregorian chants filling that cavernous space, and remember its construction aligned with pilgrimage routes that crisscrossed Europe at that time. But think also: those who designed this cathedral never conceived of the photographs that exist today; their primary audience was a divine entity. I sometimes wonder what they would have thought, looking at our image. Editor: That’s a fascinating idea. So much intent and meaning we're still unraveling centuries later, it gives the image a certain reverberation of time. Thanks for your insights. Curator: My pleasure. Now, go out there and listen to other buildings sing. You'll be surprised what secrets they whisper if you lend an ear... or perhaps, an eye!