Adam Hahn- Landscapes of the Sacred- 3

“The place presents itself as more than merely the sum of its parts”

The sites discussed in “Landscapes of the Sacred,” cover a vast amount of territory and a wide range of cultures. While reading about the practices and traditions of each culture it is evident that religion and spirituality in early pre-colonial America was spirit based. Many of the practices were associated with the season and due to this the sites of the holy places so to were connected with nature. This idea that a place presents itself as more than the sum of its parts is important to fully understand the essence of a place. While going over this idea in my head I thought back to my visit to Vatican City. It was holy week in 1999 and unlike any other city I had ever visited. While I was physically standing in a square surrounded by building the experience was much more than just that. The way the sun reflected off the statues, the smell of the incense were all sensory details that transformed St. Peters Square into an experience I will remember forever.