Christ Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro - Brazil (UNESCO)

© Colombo Cine Foto

Unused

"Christ the Redeemer (Portuguese: Cristo Redentor) is a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; considered the largest Art Deco statue in the world and the 5th largest statue of Jesus in the world. It is 30.1 metres (99 ft) tall, not including its 6 metres (20 ft) pedestal, and 19 metres (62 ft) wide. It weighs 635 tonnes (625 long,700 short tons), and is located at the peak of the 700-metre (2,300 ft) Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city. A symbol of Brazilian Christianity, the statue has become an icon for Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. It is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, and was constructed between 1926 and 1931." In: Wikipedia

Map of Russia

© Simfonia-M design

Used, sent by Sapic12

"Russia (Russian: Россия), also officially known as the Russian Federation (Russian: Российская Федерация), is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects. From northwest to southeast, Russia shares borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (both via Kaliningrad Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and North Korea. It also has maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk, and the U.S. state of Alaska across the Bering Strait. At 17,075,400 square kilometres (6,592,800 sq mi), Russia is the largest country in the world, covering more than one-eighth of the Earth's inhabited land area. Russia is also the world's ninth most populous nation with 143 million people as of 2012. Extending across the whole of northern Asia, Russia spans nine time zones and incorporates a wide range of environments and landforms. Russia has the world's largest reserves of mineral and energy resources and is the largest producer of oil and natural gas globally. Russia has the world's largest forest reserves. Its lakes contain approximately one-quarter of the world's liquid fresh water, 20% in Lake Baikal alone." In: Wikipedia

Cracow - Poland (UNESCO)

© Henryk Tomasz Kaiser (photo) / Design Czwórka

Sent from Cracow, it shows the Franciskan Church, St. Joseph's Church, St. Mary's Square, Old City

"The historic centre of Cracow, the former capital of Poland, is situated at the foot of the Royal Wawel Castle. The 13th-century merchants' town has Europe's largest market square and numerous historical houses, palaces and churches with their magnificent interiors. Further evidence of the town's fascinating history is provided by the remnants of the 14th-century fortifications and the medieval site of Kazimierz with its ancient synagogues in the southern part of town, Jagellonian University and the Gothic cathedral where the kings of Poland were buried." In: UNESCO

Giant Galapagos Tortoise (3D) - Ecuador

© Natalia Pavlova - Fotolia / mbmSystems

Unused, bought in Germany

"The Galápagos tortoise or Galápagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) is the largest living species of tortoise and 10th-heaviest living reptile, reaching weights of over 400 kg (880 lb) and lengths of over 1.8 meters (5.9 ft). With life spans in the wild of over 100 years, it is one of the longest-lived vertebrates. A captive individual lived at least 170 years.

The tortoise is native to seven of the Galápagos Islands, a volcanic archipelago about 1,000 km (620 mi) west of the Ecuadorian mainland. Spanish explorers, who discovered the islands in the 16th century, named them after the Spanish galápago, meaning tortoise." In: Wikipedia

Che Guevara - Cuba

© Perfecto Romero (photo) / Ediciones Aurelia

Unused, brought by Andreia Cruz

A photo from December 1958 of Che Guevara during the "guerilla" in Cuba

"Ernesto "Che" Guevara (June 14, 1928 – October 9, 1967), commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, guerrilla leader, diplomat, and military theorist. A major figure of the Cuban Revolution, his stylized visage has become a ubiquitous countercultural symbol of rebellion and global insignia within popular culture." In: Wikipedia

Map of Saaremaa - Estonia

© Tombak

Unused, sent by Sapic12

It shows: kuressaare castle, Kaali meteorite lake, Giant Tõll and Piret, Panga cliff, Veski tavern, Karja church, Mihu museum, Eemu windmill.

"Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia, measuring 2,673 km².[1] The main island of Saare County, it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island, and belongs to the West Estonian Archipelago. The capital of the island is Kuressaare, which has about 15,000 inhabitants; the whole island has over 39,000 inhabitants." In: Wikipedia

RU-1293349 - Monument to Peter I

© ?

RU-1293349 sent by "Ezoa"

Owners of the Pobeda Trading House in front of the monument to Peter I (1912).

Thunderstorm - Netherlands

© artwork studios

Unused

It's not a true picture but it's not bad.

ES-186169 - Ojców National Park

© Photo: D. Kmiotek, M. Habinka / Dikappa

ES-186169 sent by "edo", a polish postcard sent from Spain

"Ojców National Park (Polish: Ojcowski Park Narodowy) is a national park in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland, established in 1956. It takes its name from the village of Ojców, where it also has its headquarters.

It is Poland's smallest national park, with an original area of 14.40 square kilometers (5.56 sq mi), since expanded to 21.46 km2 (8.29 sq mi). Of this area, 15.28 km2 (5.90 sq mi) is forested and 2.51 km2 (0.97 sq mi) is strictly protected. The park is approximately 16 kilometers (10 mi) north of Kraków, in the Jurassic Kraków-Częstochowa Upland." In: Wikipedia

La Pedrera (Casa Milà), Barcelona - Spain (UNESCO)

© A. Campañá

Sent by "ninocas"

"Casa Milà, better known as La Pedrera (meaning the 'The Quarry'), is a building designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and built during the years 1905–1910, being considered officially completed in 1912. It is located at 92, Passeig de Gràcia (passeig is Catalan for promenade) in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

It was a controversial design at the time for the bold forms of the undulating stone facade and wrought iron decoration of the balconies and windows, designed largely by Josep Maria Jujol, who also created some of the plaster ceilings.

Architecturally it is considered an innovative work for its steel structure and curtain walls – the façade is self-supporting. Other innovative elements were the construction of underground car parking and separate lifts and stairs for the owners and their servants.

In 1984, it was declared World Heritage by UNESCO. The building is made open to the public by the CatalunyaCaixa Foundation, which manages the various exhibitions and activities and visits to the interior and roof." In: Wikipedia

DE-639306 - German flag

Verkauf untersagt / Edgar Freecards

DE-639306 sent by "Mondwolf"

"The flag of Germany is a tricolour consisting of three equal horizontal bands displaying the national colours of Germany: black, red, and gold. The flag was first adopted as the national flag of modern Germany in 1919, during the Weimar Republic.

The black-red-gold tricolour first appeared in the early 19th century and achieved prominence during the 1848 Revolutions. The short-lived Frankfurt Parliament of 1848–1850 proposed the tricolour as a flag for a united and democratic German state. With the formation of the Weimar Republic after World War I, the tricolour was adopted as the national flag of Germany. Following World War II, the tricolour was designated as the flag of both West and East Germany. The two flags were identical until 1959, when the East German flag was augmented with the coat of arms of East Germany. Since reunification on 3 October 1990, the black-red-gold tricolour has remained the flag of Germany." In: Wikipedia

Ladybug - Netherlands

© ?

Sent by "Lotty"

This card is one of my favorite cards with wildlife animals!

"The Coccinellidae are a family of beetles, known variously as ladybirds (UK, Ireland, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, India and Malta) or ladybugs (originating in North America, spread through media to many other parts of the world). When they need to use a common name, entomologists widely prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles as these insects are not true bugs. There also are other names that are less widely familiar; they include God's cow, ladyclock, lady cow, and lady fly." In: Wikipedia

Luxemburgerli - Switzerland

© Photoglob Zürich

Sent by "carolisha"

"Luxemburgerli (also Luxembourger) is a brand name of confectionery made by the Confiserie Sprüngli in Zürich, Switzerland. Essentially a small macaron, they have a top and bottom sugar-based confection with a center cream filling. The Luxemburgerli is lighter than a macaron and is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter." In: Wikipedia

Colleoni Chapel and Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Bergamo - Italy

© Franco Mammana (photo) / Carminati Stampatore

Unused, offered by Mónica Castro

"The Cappella Colleoni (Colleoni Chapel) is a church/mausoleum in Bergamo, northern Italy.

Dedicated to the saints Bartholomew, Mark and John the Baptist, it was built in 1472–1476 as the personal shrine for the famous condottiere Bartolomeo Colleoni, a member of one of the most outstanding families of the city, and his beloved daughter Medea. The site chosen was that of the sacristy of the nearby church of Santa Maria Maggiore, which was demolished by Colleoni's soldiers.

The design was entrusted to Giovanni Antonio Amadeo, whose plan respected the style of the church, as can been seen from the octagonal tambour of the dome and in the lantern cusp, as well as in the use of polychrome marbles." In: Wikipedia


"The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is a church in Bergamo, Northern Italy.

The church was founded in 1137 on the site of another church from the 8th century dedicated to St Mary, which had been in turn erected over a Roman temple of the Clemence. The high altar was consecrated in 1185 and in 1187 the presbytery and the transept wings were completed. Due to financial troubles, the works dragged for the whole 13th–14th centuries. The bell tower was built from 1436 (being completed around the end of the century), while in 1481–1491 a new sacristy added after the old one had been destroyed by Bartolomeo Colleoni to erect his personal mausoleum, the Colleoni Chapel.

In 1521, Pietro Isabello finished the south-western portal, also known as Porta della Fontana. The edifice was restored and modified in the 17th century." In: Wikipedia

Kotovasiya card - Russia

© Tukituk

Sent by Margarita.

My first Kotovasiya postcard, a funny postcard! More card at Tukituk.

GB-228124 - Kingfisher

© Royal Mail

GB-228124 sent by "acornishmaidinzelah"

British Birds (Kingfisher)

Reproduced from a stamp designed by Michael Warren and issued by the Post Office on the 16 January 1980

Sněžka mountain - Poland

© Vydavatelství Ivana Tomanová

Sent from Poland by Michet. Sněžka, a mountain on the border between the Poland (the first (observatory) and the second buildings from the border of the mountain) and Czech Republic (the other buildings and sky station, the third building is a post office). This satellite image shows the border line.

© Jerzy Lewandowski (photo)

Unused, bought in Poland.

"Sněžka or Śnieżka (in Czech and Polish, Schneekoppe in German) is a mountain on the border between the Czech Republic and Poland, the most prominent point of the Silesian Ridge in the Krkonoše mountains. At 1,602 metres (5,256 ft), its summit is the highest point in the Czech Republic, in the Krkonoše and in the entire Sudetes range system." In: Wikipedia

Lago Maggiore, Arona - Italy

© Rivetta Souvenirs

Sent by "gianni-it"

"Lake Maggiore (Italian: Lago Maggiore) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest lake in Italy and largest lake of the canton of Ticino, Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona.

The climate is mild in both summer and winter, producing Mediterranean vegetation, with beautiful gardens growing rare and exotic plants. Well-known gardens include those of the Isola Madre, Isola Bella and the Isole di Brissago, that of the Villa Taranto in Verbania, and the Alpinia botanical garden above Stresa." In: Wikipedia

Giant's Causeway - Nothern Ireland (UNESCO)

© Bamforth & Co.

Unused.

"The Giant's Causeway lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the sea coast on the edge of the Antrim plateau in Northern Ireland. It is made up of some 40,000 massive black basalt columns sticking out of the sea. The dramatic sight has inspired legends of giants striding over the sea to Scotland. Geological studies of these formations over the last 300 years have greatly contributed to the development of the earth sciences, and show that this striking landscape was caused by volcanic activity during the Tertiary, some 50–60 million years ago." In: UNESCO

Brabant - Netherlands

© Uitgeverij van der Meulen

Sent by "carolien25"

"North Brabant (Dutch: Noord-Brabant ), since 2001 Brabant is also officially correct, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium's Antwerp and Limburg provinces in the south, the Meuse River (Maas) in the north, and Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west." In: Wikipedia

Edmonton, Alberta - Canada

© N. Kelly (photo)

Unused

"Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region.

The city had a population of 812,201 in the 2011 Census, making it Alberta's second-largest city and Canada's fifth-largest municipality. This population represents 70 percent of the total 2011 population of 1,159,869 within the Edmonton census metropolitan area (CMA), Canada's sixth-largest CMA by population. Edmonton is the northernmost North American city with a metropolitan population over one million. A resident of Edmonton is known as an Edmontonian.

Edmonton's historic growth has been facilitated through the absorption of five adjacent urban municipalities, including Strathcona, North Edmonton, West Edmonton (Calder), Beverly and Jasper Place, and a series of annexations of surrounding rural lands until 1982. Edmonton serves as the northern anchor of the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor and is a staging point for large-scale oil sands projects occurring in northern Alberta and large-scale diamond mining operations in the Northwest Territories." In: Wikipedia

Botafogo Bay - Brazil

© Sylvio Relvas

Sent by "Luciencc"

"Botafogo is a beachfront neighborhood (bairro) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is a mostly upper middle class and small commerce community, and is located between the hills of Mundo Novo, Dona Marta (which separates it from Laranjeiras) and São João (which separates it from Copacabana)." In: Wikipedia

AU-122008 - Wombat and Tasmanian Devil

© Mike Calder Photography

AU-122008 sent by "Sugar-rules"

Information on the card: "Female wombats and Tasmanian Devils both have a backward-opening pouch where the juvenile remains for four to six months. Wombats live in large burrows and eat plants, whereas devils live in dens and are carnivorous."

Malagasy child - Madagascar

© Nouvelle Images / Bruno Morandi

Unused, bought in Cologne, Germany.

This postcard is amazing! A great child smile on a background full of colors!

Tutankhamun's Gold Mask at Cairo's Egyptian Museum - Egypt

© Emil Fink Verlag, Stuttgart

Unused

"Unlike many tombs discovered in Egypt, that of King Tutankhamun was found mostly intact. Inside the tomb there was a large collection of artifacts used throughout the King’s life. These artifacts ranged from a decorated chest, which was most likely used as a closet or suitcase, two ivory and gold bracelets, necklaces, and other decorative jewelry, to alabaster vases and flasks. The tomb was also home to many weapons and instruments used by the King. Although the tomb held over 3,500 artifacts, the tomb was not found completely intact. In fact, there had been at least two robberies of the tomb, perhaps soon after Tutankhamun's burial.

The best known artifact in King Tutankhamun’s tomb is the famous Gold Mask, which rested over the bandages that were wrapped around the King’s face. The mask weighs in at 11 kg (24.5 pounds) of solid gold, and is believed to represent what the King’s face really looked like." In: Wikipedia

Picos de Europa - Spain

© Fisa

Unused, brought by Claúdia, a view over Covadonga lakes.

"The Picos de Europa (literally: "Peaks of Europe", often abbreviated to the Picos) is a range of mountains 20 km inland from the northern coast of Spain, located in the Autonomous Communities of Asturias, Cantabria and Castile and León, forming part of the Cantabrian Mountains. The most widely accepted origin for the name is that they were the first sight of Europe for ships arriving from the Americas." In: Wikipedia

Lagarteira Fortress, Vila Praia de Âncora - Portugal

© Forways

Sent by "gracinha"

"Âncora or Lagarteira Fortress

This fortress was built in the 17th century during the reign of King Pedro II to reinforce the Portuguese coast." In: Lifecooler

Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau, Barcelona - Spain (UNESCO)

© FISA - Escudo de Oro

Unused, sent by "ninocas"

"From a historiographical point of view, the Hospital de Sant Pau is of immense importance because it is the largest hospital complex in Modernist style. Historically, the Hospital de Sant Pau, at one and the same time original and daring, demonstrates how Doménech i Montaner had studied the problem of modern hospitals. Work began in 1901 and by 1911 eight blocks of the complex had been built and were in use. In 1913 the architect brought his son, Pere Doménech i Roura, into the project, and they worked together on the church and further hospital blocks until Lluis Domènech i Montaner's death in 1923. Pere Doménech i Roura was responsible for completion of the project, which continued until 1930." In: UNESCO