The Cathedral of Thorns

The Cathedral of Thorns is a full building-sized illuminated labyrinth on the Caribbean island of Curaçao. Visitors are invited to walk through its corridors and experience an artistic journey through a troublesome history toward a bright future; both sides are represented by the hostile yet beautiful thorns. To raise consciousness of the similarities between religions, the design includes symbols of today's world religions and ancient nature-based religions. The walls have niches containing objects of contemporary art by guest artists, expressing mankind's ability to change, share and collaborate through creativity. In addition, the labyrinth also functions as a stage for performances. The Cathedral of Thorns was designed by Herman van Bergen, winner of the International Sculpture Award, 2023 and the prestigious Cola Debrot Award in 2016, and was constructed by unemployed youth. This work of art (in progress) unites all themes of Van Bergen's previous thorn-art sculptures into one expansive project: a building honoring Mother Nature and the Free Spirit that achieves change through creativity.

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Friday, April 5th, Cathedral of Thorns by Night

Save the date! On Friday, April 5th, we’re back with a new edition of the Cathedral Of Thorns By Night. This time featuring the fantastic band Lidstrom Funky Fusion! Enjoy live music while savoring a drink and the illuminated Cathedral.

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Herman van Bergen

Herman van Bergen

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We are building this Cathedral of Thorns with the help of many companies.