A Sculptural Pipe Organ Shaped Like a Hand

photo by Peter Atkinson

The late 1960s modernist church Notre-Dame des Neiges (“Our Lady of the Snow”) in the French alpine town of Alpe d’Huez is home to a beautiful pipe organ in the form of a hand. The organ was built by German organ builder Detlef Kleuker and the sculptural enclosure was designed by the church’s architect, Jean Marol. The organ was completed in 1978.

As organist Xaver Varnus demonstrates, the organ sounds quite beautiful as well.