Legend has it that in the past, to build a long-standing temple or church, a sacrifice was required – history brings us tales saying it was to be a virgin. In the creation process and construction site of a modern temple, the National Library of Latvia, the filmmakers see a mythological and ritual order – a whole cosmology, greater than its walls and roof.

Made more than ten years ago, the documentary by director Sīmanis was a prelude to the long-awaited building of the National Library of Latvia, designed by architect Gunārs Birkerts (1925–2017). Nicknamed the Castle of Light, the building provides a vast domain for meditation on time – in Sīmanis’ usual manner, he stops it, deconstructs it, and clutches it tightly. The premise of the film does not offer a specific narrative to its viewer – it doesn’t try to persuade, challenge beliefs, or convey a message; on the contrary – it encourages taking a look at a time that no longer exists.