Thursday, July 30, 2015

SE-85245

An official from Sweden. 

Foto: Börje Lejon
SE-85245, sent by Anette.
Tranemo Church, built in the 1880s, is one of Emil Langlet’s twelve central churches.
The interior was given a more oblong shape in the 1930s, but in 1993 the original idea was readopted, namely to make baptism and communion visible at the centre of the church interior.
Two of the galleries that had previously been removed were reconstructed and later the church was also given its freestanding altar table. - in: http://www.svenskakyrkan.se/kyrkrundansjuharad/tranemo-church

Monday, July 27, 2015

Dublin - Ireland

I'm counting the days for my next holidays in September but those won't be my last holidays of the year. In November I'll travel again and I'll go to Ireland. I doubt I'll get such a blue and clear sky but I might get lucky!! 
Christ Church Cathedral will be one of the monuments I'll visit in Dublin but my travel plans include other places and monuments nearby. 
Heidi has been to Dublin last June for a postcrossing meeting. Who knows, maybe I'll get to meet some postcrossers there too. 

© Liam Blake
Standing on high ground in the oldest part of Dublin, Christ Church Cathedral is one of the city's finest historic buildings. Part of the Anglican Church of Ireland, the cathedral is the mother church for the diocese of Dublin and Glendalough.
The first Christianized Danish king, Sitric (Sigtryggr Silkbeard), built a wooden church at this site in 1038. On the brow of a hill inside the city walls, it was the most commanding position in Dublin. The present stone cathedral was begun in 1172 after the conquest of Dublin by Strongbow (a.k.a. Richard de Clare), a Norman baron. Construction continued well into the 13th century, so a transition from Norman to Early English Gothic styles can be seen in the architecture.
The cathedral's vault collapsed in 1562, bringing down the south side of the nave with it. It was rebuilt in the 17th century.
Funded by the distiller Henry Roe, the cathedral was heavily restored by architect G. E. Street in 1871-78. As with many Victorian renovations, the work was important for preserving the ancient building but also robbed the cathedral of much of its medieval character. The exterior was entirely refaced and the interior was fully renovated in a Victorian Neo-Gothic style. Street also rebuilt the tower and added external buttresses. - in: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/ireland/dublin-christ-church-cathedral

Sunday, July 26, 2015

GB-664568

A beautiful snowy landscape with the scotish Blair Castle. 

© Copyright www.allanwrightphoto.com
GB-664568, sent by Vikki.
 Blair Castle is the ancient seat of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl and home to Europe's last remaining private army, the Atholl Highlanders
Blair Castle is nestled in the dramatic landscape of Highland Perthshire and has been home to 19 generations of Stewarts and Murrays of Atholl. Unique amongst Scottish castles, the story told here will take you from a visit by Mary Queen of Scots to the Civil War and from the Jacobite cause to the disaster of Culloden following Bonnie Prince Charlie's own stay in the castle. You'll hear how the lucky inheritance of a smuggler-infested island helped turn the castle into a comfortable home and how a visit from Queen Victoria led to the creation of Europe's only surviving private army, the Atholl Highlanders.
More than 30 rooms are on display, full of Scottish cultural history, architectural design, period furnishings, family portraits, landscape paintings and a colourful military past. - in: http://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/blair-castle-gardens-p250571

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Glasgow - Scotland

A card from Glasgow sent by Damien. The nice ship is Glenlee and the modern building is the Riverside Museum. 

© Colin Baxter
The Riverside Museum provides an exciting new home for Glasgow's transport collection and replaces the Museum of Transport previousy located at the Kelvin Hall. The development has a riverside location on a site where the River Clyde meets Glasgow's other main river, the Kelvin, and will be adjacent to Glasgow Harbour.
The much-acclaimed architect Zaha Hadid created the design for the Riverside Museum, which has already been dubbed 'Glasgow's Guggenheim'.
The new museum houses collections not previously on display at the Museum of Transport, and for the first time allows the proper interpretation of Glasgow's important maritime history.
With more than 3,000 objects on display, from skateboards to locomotives, paintings to prams, velocipedes to voiturettes, there is something for visitors of all ages. - in: http://www.clydewaterfront.com/projects/greater-govan--glasgow-harbour/leisure/riverside_museum
Moored outside is the 19th-century sailing ship, Glasgow's Tall Ship, the Glenlee.
The Tall Ship: SV Glenlee is a major visitor attraction in Glasgow and has welcomed over half a million visitors since opening in 1999.
She was built in 1896 and worked as a cargo ship for over 20 years, circumnavigating the globe 4 times. SV Glenlee is now the only remaining Clyde-built sailing vessel afloat in the UK and is an icon of Glasgow’s ship building heritage.
The Tall Ship officially became an accredited museum in 2008 and she is recognised as part of the Core Collection of historic vessels in the UK, offering an exciting programme of family events, education projects, exhibitions and tours. Visit the Captain's Cabin, the children's play area, engine room and cargo hold cinema!  - in: http://www.glasgowsleadingattractions.com/attractions/the-tall-ship/ 

Thursday, July 23, 2015

PC Meeting in London

The Mons Postcrossing meeting was in late march and in the begginning of May, Raquel attended another meeting, this one in London. Laerke also sent me a card from this meeting. 

Fisa
Even if this card had no identification where it was from, I bet everyone would say it was a card from London. The double decker buses, the underground sign, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, London Eye, the red phone booths and the Queen's Guards are some of the most famous London icons. 

 © British Library Board
Laerke sent a card issued by the British Library showing habits of English ladies in the years of 1735, 1745 and 1755. 

Monday, July 20, 2015

NL-3068992, NL-3069013 & NL-3069000

Last monday I've got not 1, not 2 but 3 official cards from the Netherlands. 

 Foto © Depositphotos/Merial
NL-3068992, sent by Janny.
This is Gouda's Town Hall, a very beautiful bulding that I didn't get to see properly because of the weekly market :( 
It is one of the oldest and most impressive Gothic secular buildings in The Netherlands. 
The Gothic Goudse stadhuis was already in use by 1450 but many alterations have been made through the centuries. In the 17th century it was added a staircase leading to the entrance as well as the balcony at the rear of the building on which offenders could be mocked and denounced by the people. It was on this balcony that in 1860 the death penalty was executed for the last time in The Netherlands.

NL-3069013, sent by Monique. 
The biggest church in Amsterdam, built 1619 – 1631, the Westerkerk – English: The Western Church, is the most important Protestant church in the city, while its bell tower – the Westerkerk Tower - Dutch: Westertoren, remains until today the pride of Amsterdam, regarded by many, as the city symbol. - in: http://www.amsterdam.info/westerkerk/

NL-3069000, sent by Hester.
Ommen is an Hanseatic city in the Vecht valley of the Salland region, which is at the heart of the province of Overijssel in the eastern Netherlands.
Omemn has five windmills, this one on the card is Besthem mill, from 1862 and recently renovated. The Besthem mill houses the Nature Information Centre with expositions about Ommen's diverse landscape and ecosystems.

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Bourtange - Netherlands

Some time ago I read somewhere that Bourtange is one of the most beautiful villages in the world. I mentioned this to my dutch friend Tessa and a few days ago I've got this card from there, sent by her parents! 

Fort Bourtange is such a star fort located in the village of Bourtange, Groningen, Netherlands. It was built in 1593 under the orders of William the I of Orange, to control the only road between Germany and the city of Groningen, which was controlled by the Spaniards during the time of the Eighty Years' War.

During the Eighty Years' War, the Spaniards had control over Groningen and the road leading from there to Germany. William, the leader of the Netherlands, saw it necessary to break off communications between Groningen and Germany. He decided that it would be optimal to build a fortification on the Bourtange passage, which was the main road leading to Germany. The fort was completed in 1593 in the design of a star with a network of canals and lakes which were used as moats. At its heart was a central square with streets that led directly to various bastions within the protective moat. At the very year of its completion, Spanish forces tried to besiege it but the attack ended in failure.
Fort Bourtange faced another battle in 1672 against a marauding German army. After capturing 28 cities and towns in the northern Netherlands, they demanded that the Fort be surrendered. Legend states that the Germans offered the fort's governor, Captain Protts, 20,000 guilders to surrender. Captain Prott refused saying he had an equal number of bullets for his foe. The Germans attacked but the fort’s trusted defense once again successfully repelled the attack.
Eventually, in 1851 the fort town of Bourtange was converted into a village. Over 100 years later in 1960, the local government decided to restore the old Fort to its 1740-1750 appearance and made into a historical museum. - in: http://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/06/star-shaped-fort-bourtange-in.html

Friday, July 17, 2015

Móleson - Switzerland

Postcrossing 10th anniversary was a few days ago and to celebrate this special day Vanesa came up with the idea of a tag in the portuguese community. The goal of this tag was to send all the cards on July the 14th. I've sent a card to Sofia and i've got this one from Switzerland sent by Óscar. 

Edition G. Fleury
This card matches so many of my wishes, a castle, a mountain, a landscape, snow. It's a great card, isn't it.
The castle on the card is Gruyères castle and the mountain is Móleson.
The Moléson is 2,002 metres high a mountain of the Swiss Prealps, overlooking the region of Gruyères in the canton of Fribourg. It lies at the northern end of the chain between Lake Geneva and the valley of the Sarine. - in: wikipedia
Thanks to the funicular and the cable car, reach the top of the Moléson and enjoy an incredible lanscape on western Switzerland from Lake Geneva to the peaks of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch.

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Maulbronn Monastery - Germany

All these cards show the Maulbronn Monastery, one of Europe’s most complete and best preserved Medieval monastery complexes.  It is situated on the outskirts of Maulbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany and is separated from the town by fortifications. In 1993 the monastery was made a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The 1st card is an official, the 2nd was sent by Tanja "grisu" in 2008 and the 3rd was sent by Nicole "sternchen84", after tagging her on the "You Choose - 3 UNESCO WHS in an Envelope tag" in 2009. 

Verlag Klostertor
DE-4272782, sent by Kurt.
The monastery combines a multitude of architectural styles, from Romanesque to late Gothic, in one place – creating a unique atmosphere. 
Construction of the former Cistercian abbey, cradled in the rolling hills of the Stromberg region, commenced in 1147. It was here that Gothic design was first implemented in the German-speaking world. In 1993, the monastery was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Maulbronn’s many buildings are enclosed by Medieval walls and towers. Architectural highlights include the Romanesque monastery church, the Gothic cloister, and the fountain house.

The monastery church’s entrance hall, the Paradies, takes its name from the custom of painting church vestibules’ walls with scenes from the Fall of Man. In Maulbronn, the last painting was completed in 1522. However, little of this work of art remains visible. The Paradies, the cloister’s south wing, and the monks’ refectory were constructed in the late Romanesque, transitional early Gothic style. These structures played a vital role in spreading the Gothic architectural style throughout German-speaking Europe.

The Cistercians have traditionally worked the land. This is why their cultural and architectural influences extended well beyond the walls of the monastery. The surrounding countryside was formerly dotted with their farms, called granges. The Maulbronn monastery complex has been preserved remarkably well, and is an impressive representation of the region’s history and the Cistercians’ way of life.
After the Reformation, Duke Christoph of Württemberg, converted the complex into a Protestant boarding school. Its pupils included prominent scientists and writers including Johannes Kepler, Friedrich Hölderlin and Hermann Hesse. The school still exists, but is called today Evangelical theological seminary. 
After being named a UNESCO World Heritage site, the monastery complex has become a world-famous landmark, attracting tourists from around the globe. It also serves as a concert venue, giving visitors the opportunity to appreciate the buildings’ out-of-the-ordinary acoustics. - in: http://www.kloster-maulbronn.de/en/home/

Friday, July 10, 2015

DE-4135198

A beautiful german official card showing the Hanstein Castle, located in Bornhagen, a municipality in the district of Eichsfeld in Thuringia. 

www.harenberg-kalender.de
DE-413198, sent by Frank.
Hanstein Castle was mentioned for the first time in official documents in the 9th century in Corvey Monastery, and is considered one of the largest castle ruins in central Germany. In the Middle Ages, the castle served as a prison. During the Thirty Years' War, it was partly destroyed by Swedish troops, after which it was no longer inhabited on a regular basis.
Since 1990, Hanstein Castle has belonged to the municipal council of Bornhagen. English photographer Mark Robert Davey helped the castle in 2006 by raising money with his black and white photograph of the Hanstein. In 2008, Hanstein Castle celebrated 700 years. Various festivals take place every year. - in: wikipedia

Thursday, July 9, 2015

ES-349458

The previous card was french and it was sent by a german girl living in Italy, this one is italian and it was sent by an ukrainian girl studying in Spain. 
I've a few cards from Venice but I believe this is my 1st one with the Bridge of Sighs. 

Foto: archivio Mazzega Art & Design s. r. l.
ES-349458, sent by Daria. 
The Sighs Bridge was designed by Antonio Contino, in Italian Renaissance in style. Its construction started in 1600 and it took about two years to be complete. The 11 meter (36ft) wide bridge is made of white limestone and two windows with stone bars. 
 It passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the New Prison (Prigioni Nuove) to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. 
The view from the Bridge of Sighs was the last view of Venice that convicts saw before their imprisonment. The bridge name, given by Lord Byron as a translation from the Italian "Ponte dei sospiri" in the 19th century, comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells. In reality, the days of inquisitions and summary executions were over by the time the bridge was built and the cells under the palace roof were occupied mostly by small-time criminals. In addition, little could be seen from inside the Bridge due to the stone grills covering the windows.
A local legend says that lovers will be granted eternal love and bliss if they kiss on a gondola at sunset under the Bridge of Sighs as the bells of St Mark's Campanile toll. - in: wikipedia

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Nice - France

Last April my pal Katja from Italy went on holidays to the French Riviera. She knows how much I love cards and sent me this one from Nice. 

Nice is the fifth most populous city in France.  It is located on the south east coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.
Surrounded by the serene blue waters of the Baie des Anges and sheltered by the foothills of the Maritime Alps, Nice has a mild climate year round. With its sunny weather and stunning seaside scenery, it's easy to understand why it became a popular vacation destination since the second half of the 18th century, when an increasing number of  English aristocratic families choose the city as a winter resort.
 For decades now, the picturesque Nicean surroundings have attracted not only those in search of relaxation, but also those seeking inspiration. The clear air and soft light has been of particular appeal to some of Western culture's most outstanding painters, such as Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Niki de Saint Phalle and Arman.

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Touques - France

Today I went hiking but legs and feet are a bit sore but my hands are fine, so I can post a few cards today. I've more french cards to show. This one from Touques, was also sent by Paulo

Photo: Alain Baudry
Touques is a town in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France. The church of the card is St. Peter Church, from the 11th century, located at the St. Peter Square.