Copán, UNESCO WHS from Honduras

Copán is an archaeological site of the Maya civilization in the Copán Department of western Honduras, not far from the border with Guatemala. It was the capital city of a major Classic period kingdom from the 5th to 9th centuries AD. The city was in the extreme southeast of the Mesoamerican cultural region, on the frontier with the Isthmo-Colombian cultural region, and was almost surrounded by non-Maya peoples.

Stamps on postcard:
Green Iguana, issued on 6.10.2014.
Hawkwing Conch (Strombus raninus), issued on 19.7.2004.
Airmail - Telethon, issued on 4.12.2003.


Thank you Cesar!

Tanzania: Stone Town in Zanzibar

Stone Town is the old part of Zanzibar City, the main city of Zanzibar, in Tanzania. Stone Town is located on the western coast of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago. Former capital of the Zanzibar Sultanate, and flourishing center of the spice trade as well as the slave trade in the 19th century, it retained its importance as the main city of Zanzibar during the period of the British protectorate. When Tanganyika and Zanzibar joined each other to form the United Republic of Tanzania, Zanzibar kept a semi-autonomous status, with Stone Town as its local government seat.

Stone Town is a city of prominent historical and artistic importance in East Africa. Its architecture, mostly dating back to the 19th century, reflects the diverse influences underlying the Swahili culture, giving a unique mixture of Arab, Persian, Indian and European elements. For this reason, the town was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

 This nice giraffe stamp from set Wildlife of Tanzania, issued on 13.2.2017.

Thank you Wolfgang!

Peru: Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca citadel, located in the Cusco Region. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was constructed as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). Often mistakenly referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas", it is the most familiar icon of Inca civilization. The Incas built the estate around 1450 but abandoned it a century later at the time of the Spanish Conquest. Although known locally, it was not known to the Spanish during the colonial period and remained unknown to the outside world until American historian Hiram Bingham brought it to international attention in 1911.  Its three primary structures are the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. Most of the outlying buildings have been reconstructed in order to give tourists a better idea of how they originally appeared. By 1976, thirty percent of Machu Picchu had been restored and restoration continues. Machu Picchu was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. In 2007, Machu Picchu was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a worldwide Internet poll.

Nice complete set of stamps on postcard: The 50th Anniversary of the First Europa Postage Stamps, issued on 24.11.2005. No hand cancellation on stamps, only pale machine cancellation on bottom of the postcard.


Thank you Andrés!

Ethiopia: Church of Saint George, Lalibela

The Church of Saint George is one of eleven rock-hewn monolithic churches in Lalibela, a city in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. The historical and religious site was named Lalibela after the King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela of the Zagwe dynasty, who commissioned its construction. He is regarded as a saint by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. The church itself is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela".

Stamps on postcard:
Agelgel from Welega (from set Traditional baskets), issued on 20.2.1997.
Menelik's Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus meneliki), issued on 12.12.2002.


Thank you Solomon!

Stamps from Azores

I received wonderful cover from Azores with one mini sheet and four stamp sets. Cover was sent from Angra do Heroismo, and on this beautiful mini sheet you can see old map of Angra do Heroismo, and this historic city center is today UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mini sheet was issued on 4.6.2001.

All this 3 stamp sets are dedicated to transportation:
Inter-island Transport, issued on 15.11.1991.
Means of transportation, issued on 7.11.1986.
Transport of the Azores - Ships, issued on 7.10.1992.

This stamps set is also dedicated to UNESCO World Heritage - Angra do Heroismo, and is released on 4.6.2001.

Inside cover were also two postcards. This one shows Praia da Vitória (translated as the Beach of the Victory), the second largest administrative authority on the island of Terceira.

And this postcard shows fumaroles on Terceira Island, one of the larger islands of the archipelago, which capitol city is  Angra do Heroísmo.

Stamps on cover:
Café Athanásio, historic café from Azores, issued on 27.10.2016.
Azores Handicraft (ceramics), issued on 8.5.2015.
Traditional Portuguese Festivals, issued on 21.2.2011.


Thank you Maria!

Cambodia: Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world (162.6 hectares). It was originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire, gradually transforming into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th century. It was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yaśodharapura (present-day Angkor), the capital of the Khmer Empire. Breaking from the Shiva tradition of previous kings, Angkor Wat was instead dedicated to Vishnu. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, and it's appearing on its national flag.

This stamp is from set Khmer Culture - Banteay Temple, issued on 9.10.2015.


Thank you Yi Xuan!

Armenia: Haghpat monastery

Haghpat Monastery is a medieval monastery complex in Haghpat, Armenia. The monastery was founded by Queen Khosrovanuysh, wife of the Bagratid king Ashot III, probably in 976. The largest church in the complex, the Cathedral of Surb Nishan, probably begun in 976, was completed in 991 by king Smbat. A fresco in the apse depicts Christ Pantocrator. Its donor, the Armenian Prince Khutulukhaga, is depicted in the south transept. The sons of the church's founder, Princes Smbat and Kurike, are shown with Queen Khosravanuysh in a bas-relief on the east gable. Apart from one or two minor restorations carried out in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the church has retained its original character. The monastery at Haghpat is chosen as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Stamps used for this postcards are from set Armenian alphabet, issued on 22.4.2014.


Thank you Ritzval!

Vietnam: Gong Culture

The space of gong culture in the Vietnam Highlands is a region in Central Vietnam that is home to cultures that value gongs. It spreads in the Tây Nguyên provinces of Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Đắk Lắk, Đắk Nông, and Lâm Đồng. The UNESCO recognized it as a Masterpiece of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity on November 25, 2005.

Stamp used on this postcard is National Year of Tourism (from set of two), issued on 13.02.2017.


Thank you Mạnh!

UNESCO World Heritages in Vietnam

This multiview postcard shows seven World Heritages from Vietnam:
 - Hue Royal Court Music - recognized as World Oral History Treasure and Intangible Culture in 2003
- My Son Sanctuary - UNESCO World Heritage Site listed in 1999
- Hoi An Ancient Town - UNESCO World Heritage Site listed in 1999
- Halong Bay - UNESCO World Heritage Site listed in 1994
- Tay Nguyen Gong Music - recognized as masterpiece of the oral and intangible culture of humanity in 2005
- Phong Nha Ke Bang- UNESCO World Heritage Site listed in 2003
- Hue Complex of Monuments- UNESCO World Heritage Site listed in 1993

Stamp used on cover is Year of the Rooster, issued on 20.12.2016.

Thank you Mạnh!

Albania: Butrinti

This is my first postcard from Albania! Buthrotum (Albanian: Butrinti) was an ancient Greek and later Roman city and bishopric in Epirus. Inhabited since prehistoric times, Buthrotum was a city of the Greek tribe of the Chaonians, later a Roman colony and a bishopric. It entered into decline in Late Antiquity, before being abandoned during the Middle Ages after a major earthquake flooded most of the city. In modern times it is an archeological site in Vlorë County, Albania, some 14 kilometres south of Sarandë and close to the Greek border. It is located on a hill overlooking the Vivari Channel and is part of the Butrint National Park. Butrint is included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

Stamps:
UEFA European Football Championship 2016 - France, issued on 10.06.2016.
Albanian Flora: Campanula comosiformis, issued on 27.07.2016.


Thank you Indrit!

Belarus: Niasvizh Castle

Niasvizh Castle is a residential castle of the Radziwiłł family in Nesvizh, Belarus. The estate was owned by the Radziwiłł magnate family from 1533. In 1706, during the Great Northern War, Charles XII's army sacked the castle and destroyed its fortifications.  Several decades later, the Radziwiłłs invited some German and Italian architects to substantially renovate and enlarge the castle.In 1772, following the third and last partition of Poland, the castle was seized by Russian forces and the Radziwiłł family was expelled. Abandoned both by the original owners and by the Russian army, the palace gradually fell into disrepair. However, it was restored by the Radziwiłłs and between 1881 and 1886 the castle's interiors were renovated by Prince Antoni Radziwiłł and his French wife, Marie de Castellane. After the Polish–Bolshevik War of 1920 the surrounding area and the castle complex became part of the newly established Second Polish Republic.During the invasion of Poland in 1939, the Radziwiłł family was expelled from the castle by the Red Army. In Soviet times, the castle was used a sanatorium, while the park gradually fell into neglect. In 2005 the castle complex was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Stamp is Snow White and Rose Red, from set Belarusian animated cartoons, issued on 01.11.2013.


Thank you Veronika!

Cover from India

I have received cover from India with two postcard, one mini sheet, one FDC and six mint stamps.

This place in thickets of the Sahyadri hills of the Western Ghats is around 45 km from Sirsi, Karnataka. Huge rocks are the center of attraction. There are two temples, temple of Shiva inside a cave, and a Ganesha temple nearby.

The Elephanta caves area network of sculpted caves located on Elephanta Island in Mumbai Harbour. The island, located on an arm of Arabian Sea, consists of two groups of caves  - the first is a large group of Hindu caves, the second, a smaller group of two Buddhist caves. The Hindu caves contain rock-cut stone sculptures, representing Shaiva Hindu sect. The rock-cut architecture of the caves is dated between the 5th and 8th centuries. The caves are hewn from solid basalt rock. The caves were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

This is FDC Gaiety Theatre Complex, Shimla, issued on 26.08.2014.

This is mini sheet Rabindranath Tagore's "Dakghar", issued on 31.10.2008.

Stamps:
Charkha Spinning Wheel (whole set), issued on 15.10.2015.
The 50th Anniversary of Diplomatis Relations with Singapore - Joint Issue with Singapore (whole set), issued on 24.11.2015.
International Day of Yoga, issued on 21.06.2015.
International Fleet Review, issued on 06.02.2016.

Stamps on cover:
C V Raman, issued on 11.05.2009.
Makers of India: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, issued on 10.10.2015.


Thank you Subramanya!

India: Qutb Minar

Qutub Minar, at 120 meters, is the tallest brick minaret in the world, and the second tallest minar in India after Fateh Burj at Mohali. Qutub Minar, along with the ancient and medieval monuments surrounding it, form the Qutub Complex, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tower is located in the Mehrauli area of Delhi, India. Made of red sandstone and marble, Qutub Minar is a 73-meter tall tapering tower with a diameter measuring 14.32 meters at the base and 2.75 meters at the peak. Inside the tower, a circular staircase with 379 steps leads to the top.

In 1200 AD, Qutub-ud-Din Aibak, the founder of the Delhi Sultanate started construction of the Qutub Minar. In 1220, Aibak's successor and son-in-law Iltutmish added three storeys to the tower. In 1369, lightning struck the top storey, destroying it completely. So, Firoz Shah Tughlaq carried out restoration work replacing the damaged storey with two new storeys every year, made of red sandstone and white marble.

Stamps:
Mahatma Gandhi, issued on 01.03.2009.
The Kuka Movement, issued on 24.12.2014.


Thank you Shashi!

Germany: Island Rügen

Very nice bottle-shaped postcard! Rügen is Germany's largest island by area. It is located off the Pomeranian coast in the Baltic Sea and belongs to the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Rügen has a maximum length of 51.4 km (from north to south), a maximum width of 42.8 km in the south and an area of 926 km². The coast is characterized by numerous sandy beaches, lagoons (Bodden) and open bays (Wieke), as well as projecting peninsulas and headlands. In June 2011, UNESCO awarded the status of a World Heritage Site to the Jasmund National Park, famous for its vast stands of beeches and chalk cliffs like King's Chair, the main landmark of Rügen island.

Nice matching stamp Baltic Sea - Bodden landscape, issued on 02.01.2015, and Elves Krokus, issued on 11.08.2005.


Thank you very much Corinna!

Malta: Valletta

This is my first postcard from Malta, and what a nice sight! I must go there someday!
A UNESCO's World Heritage Site, Valletta  was founded on 28 March 1566. Its magnificent network of fortifications extend over 27 km and are perfect example of Renaissance military architecture. The dignified palaces and churches built by the knights of St John form an impressive architectonic complex that led it ti being described as "a city build by gentlemen for gentlemen."

Stamp is Christmas (from set of three), issued on 14.11.2015.

Thank you very much Silvan!

Yugoslavia: The 800th Anniversary of Studenica Monastery

The Studenica Monastery is a 12th-century Serbian Orthodox monastery situated 39 km southwest of Kraljevo, in central Serbia. It is one of the largest and richest Serb Orthodox monasteries.

Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the medieval Serb state, founded the monastery in 1190. The monastery's fortified walls encompass two churches: the Church of the Virgin, and the Church of the King, both of which were built using white marble. The monastery is best known for its collection of 13th- and 14th century Byzantine-style fresco paintings.

Studenica was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia, and in 1986 UNESCO included Studenica monastery on the list of World Heritage Sites.

Stamp is issued on 15.03.1986.

Florence: Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore

The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore is the main church of Florence, Italy. Il Duomo di Firenze, as it is ordinarily called, was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style with the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi.

The cathedral complex, located in Piazza del Duomo, includes the Baptistery and Giotto's Campanile. These three buildings are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site covering the historic centre of Florence and are a major attraction to tourists visiting Tuscany. The basilica is one of Italy's largest churches, and until development of new structural materials in the modern era, the dome was the largest in the world. It remains the largest brick dome ever constructed.

Stamp is  Posta Italiana, Flying cover, issued on 01.12.2014.

Thank you Domitilla!

Germany: St. Michael's Church, Hildesheim

The Church of St. Michael is an early-Romanesque church in Hildesheim, Germany. Church was built between 1010 and 1020 on a symmetrical plan with two apses that was characteristic of Ottonian Romanesque art in Old Saxony It has been on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list since 1985. It is now a Lutheran church.

Stamps:

Microworld: Agrimonia eupatoria, issued on 03.12.2015.
Tagetes, issued on 07.07.2005.


Thank You Holger!

Serbian Monasteries Listed as Cultural Heritage by UNESCO

These are first new Serbian stamps in 2016!
Release date is 28.1.2016.

Mother of God Ljeviška is a 14th-century Serbian Orthodox church in the town of Prizren, located in southern Kosovo. It was converted to a mosque during the Ottoman Empire and then back into a church in the early 20th century.The construction of the church was commissioned in 1306–9 by Serbian King Stefan Milutin. It was built on the site of the ruins of an earlier Byzantine church, whose original name Metera Eleousa was preserved in Slavic as Bogorodica Ljeviška.

Gračanica is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located in Kosovo. It was rebuilt by the Serbian king Stefan Milutin in 1321 on the ruins of a 6th-century early Christian three-naved basilica. Gračanica represents the culmination of the Serbian medieval art of building in the Byzantine tradition.

Construction began during the reign of Serbian King Stefan Uroš III Dečanski in 1327 and the original founding charter from 1330 has been preserved. Dečanski was buried in the still incomplete Visoki Dečani monastery in 1331 and its construction was continued by Dušan. The monastery's main architect was Fra Vita, a Franciscan monk from the Montenegrin coastal town of Kotor. Construction of the monastery lasted for a total of 8 years, and ended in 1335

 The Patriarchate of Peć is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located near Peć, in Kosovo. The precise date of the foundation of the Patriarchate is unknown. It is thought that while Saint Sava (d. 1235) was still alive that the site became a metoh (land owned and governed by a monastery) of Žiča monastery, then the seat of the Serbian archbishopric.

Archbishop Arsenije I (d. 1266) built the Church of the Holy Apostles, as he wanted the seat of the Serbian Church to be at a more secure location and closer to the centre of the country. Soon, around 1250, he ordered it decoration. Archbishop Nikodim I built the Church of Saint Demetrius around 1320, north of the other church. A decade later, around 1330, his successor, Archbishop Danilo II built a third church, south of the original one - the Church of the Holy Virgin Hodegetria to the south of which he added the small Church of Saint Nicholas. Emperor Dušan the Mighty (r. 1331-1355) raised the Archbishopric at Peć to Patriarchal status.

Netherlands: Ir.D.F. Woudagemaal

The ir. D.F. Woudagemaal is a pumping station in the Netherlands, and the largest still operational steam-powered pumping station in the world. On October 7, 1920 Queen Wilhelmina opened the pumping station. It was built to pump excess water out of Friesland, a province in the north of the Netherlands.

In 1967, after running on coal for 47 years, the boilers were converted to run on heavy fuel oil. It has a pumping capacity of 4,000 m³ per minute. The pumping station is currently used to supplement the existing pumping capacity of the J.L. Hooglandgemaal in case of exceptionally high water levels in Friesland; this usually happens a few days per year.

Since 1998 the ir. D.F. Woudagemaal has been listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.

Stamp is The 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo: A portrait of the Prince of Orange, the future King Willem I, issued on 2015-06-22.

Thank You Siene!