Groene Kathedraal

A cathedral without walls

The Groene Kathedraal stands in the Flevopolder, just outside Almere, along the Kathedralenpad. In 1987, artist Marinus Boezem planted poplar trees here in the floor plan of Notre-Dame in Paris. The trees now form a living building, complete with nave, side aisles and choir. There are no walls, and the sky is the roof. Yet you feel that space the moment you step inside.

This is a place that only really works photographically if you take your time with it. The first impression is grand and open, but the more interesting images are in the details: the rhythm of the trunks, the way light falls between the rows, the texture of the bark.

Light and season

Autumn is my favourite time. The poplars turn yellow, and when the sun is low, that light filters horizontally through the trunks. It adds depth to the rows, and the ground takes on a warm tone from the fallen leaves. Come in the early morning if you can, or an hour before sunset.

Spring has a different character. The young leaves are light green and translucent, and the sky above can be dramatic. Overcast conditions with some breaking in the cloud cover also work well, precisely because the light is even and the structure of the trees takes centre stage.

Compositions and focal lengths

With a telephoto zoom somewhere between 70 and 200mm, you compress the rows of trunks and strengthen the cathedral effect. If you want to show the space, a 24 or 35mm works better, especially if you go low and shoot along the central axis towards the altar. That is where the floor plan is most tangible.

Portrait photographers will find plenty here too: the trunks as wings, the depth as a stage. A figure placed on the central axis, kept small, emphasises just how impressive the scale is.

Practical

You can park at the nearby car parks along the Kathedralenpad on the edge of the Almeerderhout. The site is freely accessible and open all year round. You do not need a permit for photography without a tripod, but the grounds are managed by the municipality of Almere. In dry winter weather, when the trees are bare and there is perhaps frost on the branches, the abstract structure is at its strongest.

Sources and further reading

• Gemeente Almere, Groene Kathedraal
• Marinus Boezem Foundation
• Wikipedia: De Groene Kathedraal