Whenever you look up and see a swan above a building, you are looking at something Lutheran. The swan is the symbol for Martin Luther, who is better known as a dissenter of the Catholic faith and one of the greatest reformers of humanity. It is said that Luther was manifested by Czech theologist and heretic Jan Hus, or John Goose. A century before, he was among the first men ever recorded to officially question the religious principles of his era, in 1415, and was burned at the stake by the Catholic Church.
His last words before the fire were, “Today you burn a goose,but more powerful birds, eagles and falcons will come after me, whom you will neither boil nor burn.” One hundred and two years later, Martin Luther nailed his Theses to the church wall, and became that powerful swan.
In 1671, the Lutheran Koepelkerk was built in Amsterdam. It is located on the Singel, right by Centraal Station, greeting refugees who entered the city. Above a majestic 55-meter cupola soars an iron swan.
The church is best viewed from the inside. Here you find a special type of architectural artistry. The design is sparse, and the ceiling plain white. Light doesn’t pour in the way you would expect. It has three levels, and in the center of the ground floor rises a massive organ, centered by a swan ready for flight.
Today, it is used for weddings, parties, and Holy Drag Brunch with @pattypampam on Sunday mornings. I find its most beautiful purpose is as a concert hall, where the massive dome brings magnificent acoustics up to the sky, the swan song of the goose.
Comments are closed here.