Gezicht op Maastricht met de toren van de Sint-Janskerk 1893

This photograph captures Maastricht, highlighting the tower of the Sint-Janskerk. The tower, with its vertical aspirations, is a visual echo of humanity’s longing to connect with the divine, a theme that resonates across cultures and epochs. Its presence in the urban landscape reminds us of the Roman obelisks, Egyptian pyramids, and even tribal totems, each serving as a symbolic axis mundi, a meeting point between the earthly and the celestial. Think, for instance, of the Tower of Babel, a symbol of hubris yet also a testament to mankind's yearning for the heavens. The Gothic architecture of the Sint-Janskerk tower speaks of a specific era, yet the underlying impulse—to reach beyond the human scale—is timeless. This reaching is not just physical; it's a psychological grasping for meaning, a tangible expression of our intangible desires. The tower stands as a reminder that while styles may change, our fundamental aspirations remain.