Sunday, November 15, 2009

Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork

Card # 39 This postcard sent to me by Kazimierz

The Castle in Malbork was built in Prussia by the Teutonic Order as an Ordensburg. The Order named it Marienburg, literally "Mary's Castle". The town which grew around it was also named Marienburg, but since 1945 it is again, after 173 years, part of Poland and known as Malbork.

The castle is a classic example of a medieval fortress, and is the world’s largest brick gothic castle. UNESCO listed the castle and its museum as World Heritage Sites in December 1997 as Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork. It is one of two World Heritage Sites in the region with origins in the Teutonic Order. The other is the Medieval Town of Toruń, founded in 1231 as the site of the castle Thorn. Read more

Post WWII ruins of the castle

Information and Image Obtained From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Monday, November 9, 2009

Card # 38This postcard sent to me by Kazimierz


Kraków is one of the largest and oldest cities in Poland and a popular tourist destination. Its historic centre was inscribed on the list of World Heritage Sites as the first of its kind. Situated on the Vistula river in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural and artistic life, and is one of Poland's most important economic centres. It was the capital of Poland from 1038 to 1596, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Kraków from 1846 to 1918, and the capital of Kraków Voivodeship from the 14th century to 1999. It is now the capital of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. Read more

Grand-Place, Brussels

Card # 37This postcard sent to me by Johan

Grand Place (French) is the central square of Brussels. It is surrounded by guildhalls, the city's Town Hall, and the Breadhouse (Dutch: Broodhuis, French: Maison du Roi). The square is the most important tourist destination and most memorable landmark in Brussels, along with the Atomium and Manneken Pis. It measures 68 by 110 metres (220 by 360 ft), and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. Read more
Information Obtained From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications

Card # 36 This postcard sen to me by Tenuka private Postcrossing

Galle is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, during the Dutch colonial period. The major river is Gin River (Gin Ganga) which starts from Gongala Kanda and passing villages such as Neluwa, Nagoda, Baddegama, Thelikada, Wakwella and kisses the sea at Ginthota. In Wakwella over the river there is Wakwella Bridge which is the longest bridge in Sri Lanka. On 26 December 2004 the city was devastated by the massive Boxing Day Tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake that occurred a thousand miles away, off the coast of Indonesia. Thousands were killed in the city alone.

Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in south and southeast Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and south Asian traditions. The Galle fort is a world heritage site and the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers. Other prominent landmarks in Galle include St. Mary's Cathedral founded by Jesuit priests, one of the main Shiva temples on the island, and The Amangalla, a historic luxury hotel.

Galle is the main town in the most southerly part of the island, with a population of around 100,000, and is connected by rail to Colombo and Matara. It is home to a cricket ground, the Galle International Stadium, rebuilt after the 2004 tsunami. Test matches resumed there on December 18, 2007.

Rumassala Kanda is a large mound-like hill, which forms the eastern protective barrier to the Galle harbour. Local tradition associates this hill with some events of the Ramayana. Read more

Information Obtained From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Residences of the Royal House of Savoy

Card # 35These postcard sent to me by Limoda from Postcrossing

The Palace of Venaria (Italian: Reggia di Venaria Reale) is a former royal residence located in Venaria Reale, near Turin, in Piedmont, northern Italy. It is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy, included in the UNESCO Heritage List in 1997, and one of the largest royal residences in the world, comparable in size and structures to those of Versailles and Caserta (though the latter's park is far larger). The Palace was designed and built from 1675 by Amedeo di Castellamonte. Read more

Information Obtained From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mount Huangshan

Card # 34 These postcard sent to me by Jue Huang

Mount Huang, added in UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990. Its well known for scenery, sunsets, peculiarly-shaped granite peaks, Huangshan Pine trees, and views of the clouds from above as what can see from my postcard. It's gained its unique rock formation in the Quaternary Glaciation around 100 million years ago. During the Qin Dynasty, Mount Huang was known as Yishan (Mount Yi). In 747 AD, its name was changed to Huangshan (Mount Huang) by imperial decree the name is commonly thought to have been coined in honor of Huang Di (the Yellow Emperor), a legendary Chinese emperor and the mythological ancestor of the Han Chinese one legend states that Mount Huang was the location from which the Yellow Emperor ascended to Heaven. Another legend states that the Yellow Emperor "cultivated moral character and refined pills of immortality in the mountains, and in so doing gave the mountains his name. The first use of this name "Mount Huang" is often attributed to Chinese poet Li Bai. Mount Huang was fairly inaccessible and little-known in ancient times, but its change of name in 747 AD seems to have brought the area more attention; from then on, the area was visited frequently and many temples were built there. Read more

Monday, October 19, 2009

Ancient City of Sigiriya

Card # 33 These postcard sent to me by Aravinda Babu

Sigiriya (Lion's rock) is an ancient rock fortress and palace ruin situated in the central Matale District of Sri Lanka. The Sigiriya was built during the reign of King Kassapa I (AD 477 – 495), and it is one of the seven World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka. Sigiriya is also renowned for its ancient paintings (frescos), which are reminiscent of the Ajanta Caves of India. A series of galleries and staircases emerging from the mouth of a gigantic lion constructed of bricks and plaster provide access to the site. An ancient Sinhalese guide book called the 'Sihigiri Vihara' found in the library of the Maharaja at Suvarnapura describes this rock and its palace in great detail. It describes the edifice constructed at the summit to have been made only for the use of a couple. No one was allowed to climb there other than King Kasyapa and his Queen. This edifice is described as a mansion with several landscaped gardens and a beautiful pond called Dharani with aquatic flowers. It was always full of water even in the dry season as a mechanism conducted water there. Added in UNESCO- World Heritage Site on 1982. Read more

Information Obtained From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, lankalibrary

Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area

Card # 32 These postcard sent to me by Jue Huang

Is a scenic and historic interest area in Hunan Province, China, famous for its approximately 3,100 tall quartzite sandstone pillars, some over 800 meters in height, which are a kind of karst formation. It is part of Zhangjiajie city, about 270km from the capital of Hunan Province, Changsha. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. Wulingyuan forms part of the Wuling Range.

Historic Areas of Istanbul

Card # 31
These greatest historic postcard sent to me by my friend Cuneyt Ozarikan
1- Sultanahmet Camii ve Ayasofya
2- Dolmabahce Sarayi
3- Tophane, Karakoy
4- Yeni Camii, Galata Koprusu ve Bogaz
5- Faith Sultan Mehmet Koprusu
6- Ortakoy Camii ve Ortakoy

Istanbul largest and megacity in turkey. This beautiful historic city was added in UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985. In its long history, Istanbul has served as the capital city of the Roman Empire (330–395), the East Roman (Byzantine) Empire (395–1204 and 1261–1453), the Latin Empire (1204–1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453–1922). The city was chosen as joint European Capital of Culture for 2010. Read more

Happy Deepavali


Wishing to all my bloggers, traders, friends, visitor's have a wonderful celebration and a lot of foods to eat :)

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The Great Wall, China

Card # 30
These postcard sent to me by Jue Huang

"The long wall of 10,000 is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire from Xiongnu attacks during various successive dynasties. The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. Has been World Heritage Site since 1987. Read more

Photograph of the Great Wall in 1907

Information and Image Obtained From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Golden Temple of Dambulla, Sri Lanka

Card # 29



These postcard sent to me by Aravinda Babu

A sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, this cave monastery, with its five sanctuaries, is the largest, best-preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka. The Buddhist mural paintings (covering an area of 2,100 m2) are of particular importance, as are the 157 statues. Is a World Heritage Site 1991. Also known as Dambulla cave Temple in the central of the Sri Lanka country. Largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. There are major attractions on 5 caves contains of statues and paintings which are related to Lord Buddha and his life. May found 153 of Buddha statues. The two hindu god's Lord Vishnu and god Ganesh, was include later on.

The temple is composed of five caves, which have been converted into shrine rooms. The caves, built at the base of a 150m high rock during the Anuradhapura (1st Century BC to 993 AD) and Polonnaruwa times (1073 to 1250), are by far the most impressive of the many cave temples found in Sri Lanka. Read more

Information and Image Obtained From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and World Heritage Site.