Wednesday 28 April 2010

45 BG - Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo (1979)

Brief Description

"In the valley of the Roussenski Lom River, in north east Bulgaria, a complex of rock-hewn churches, chapels, monasteries and cells developed in the vicinity of the village of Ivanovo. This is where the first hermits had dug out their cells and churches during the 12th century. The 14th-century murals testify to the exceptional skill of the artists belonging to the Tarnovo School of painting."

伊凡诺沃岩洞教堂
"伊凡诺沃岩洞教堂位于保加利亚东北部洛姆河流域伊凡诺沃村一带,由岩洞教堂、小教堂、修道院和洞穴组成。12世纪,第一批 隐士开始在这里开挖洞穴和建造教堂。绘于14世纪的壁画向人们展示了塔尔诺沃(Tarnovo)画派艺术家们杰出的艺术表现力。"

Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/45
Courtesy of MsMoney postcrossing forum

543 UZ - Itchan Kala (1990)

Brief Description

"Itchan Kala is the inner town (protected by brick walls some 10 m high) of the old Khiva oasis, which was the last resting-place of caravans before crossing the desert to Iran. Although few very old monuments still remain, it is a coherent and well-preserved example of the Muslim architecture of Central Asia. There are several outstanding structures such as the Djuma Mosque, the mausoleums and the madrasas and the two magnificent palaces built at the beginning of the 19th century by Alla-Kulli-Khan."
伊钦•卡拉内城

"伊钦·卡拉城是一座古老的希瓦绿洲的内城,由10米高的砖墙保护着,它是通往伊朗的沙漠中商队的最后一个驿站。尽管只有很 少的一些古老纪念性建筑保存在那里,但它依然是中亚保存完好的穆斯林建筑群中的典范,其中著名的建筑如德尤马清真寺、陵墓以及19世纪初由阿拉-库里可汗 修建的两座辉煌的宫殿。"
Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/543
Courtesy of SLLiew postcrossing forum

266 US - La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico (1983)

Brief Description

"Between the 15th and 19th centuries, a series of defensive structures was built at this strategic point in the Caribbean Sea to protect the city and the Bay of San Juan. They represent a fine display of European military architecture adapted to harbour sites on the American continent."

波多黎各的古堡与圣胡安历史遗址
"公元15世纪至19世纪期间,在加勒比海的战略要地上建起了一系列防御工事用于保护圣胡安城和圣胡安海湾。这些建筑很好地 展示了欧洲军事建筑与美洲大陆港口实际情况相结合后产生的和谐效果。"

Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/266

Courtesy of Lidia from Portugal
Castillo San Felipe del Morro
Castillo de San Cristóbal

Courtesy of MsMoney postcrossing forum
City walls of Old San Juan

1211 IT - Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli (2006)

Brief Description

"The Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli in Genoa’s historic centre date from the late 16th and early 17th centuries when the Republic of Genoa was at the height of its financial and seafaring power. The site represents the first example in Europe of an urban development project parcelled out by a public authority within a unitary framework and associated to a particular system of ‘public lodging’ in private residences, as decreed by the Senate in 1576. The site includes an ensemble of Renaissance and Baroque palaces along the so-called ‘new streets’ (Strade Nuove). The Palazzi dei Rolli offer an extraordinary variety of different solutions, achieving universal value in adapting to the particular characteristics of the site and to the requirements of a specific social and economic organization. They also offer an original example of a public network of private residences designated to host state visits."

热那亚的新街和罗利宫殿体系
"热那亚历史中心的新街和罗利宫殿体系(16世纪末和17世纪初)是欧洲第一个在统一框架内的城市发展项目。在那里,城市发 展规划由政府当局和一个专门的“公众居住”系统在法律的基础上统一安排部署。罗利宫殿是由热那亚共和国最富有最有权势的贵族家庭修建的,那时的热那亚财政 实力和航海业都处在巅峰时期。这一处遗址包括所称“新街”两边的文艺复兴时期的剧团和巴洛克风格的宫殿。这些宏伟的宫殿式住宅于16世纪末建于新街街道 (即今天的加里波第路),四分之一的贵族住在这里。根据1528年的宪法,这些贵族接管了共和国政府的大权。宫殿一般有三四层楼高,楼梯是敞开式的,很壮 观。院子也很大,每层都有一个面积不大、可以俯视花园的凉台。这种城市设计风格的影响反映在其后几十年意大利和欧洲的文学作品中。宫殿系统提供了各种解决 方案,在适应遗址的个性特点和特定的社会经济组织的要求方面具有普遍价值。它们还提供了一个先例,就是为外国客人来访建立一个公共接待室联系。为此,众议 院于1576年正式颁布了一项法令。这些宫殿的主人有义务对国事访问进行招待,从而有利于向慕名来访的著名艺术家和游客传播建筑模型和居住文化知识,其中 一个很经典的例子就是画家彼得•保罗•鲁本斯(Pieter Paul Ruben)的一系列作品。"

Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1211

Courtesy of Iside82 from postcrossing forum

81 FR - Chartres Cathedral (1979)

Brief Description

"Partly built starting in 1145, and then reconstructed over a 26-year period after the fire of 1194, Chartres Cathedral marks the high point of French Gothic art. The vast nave, in pure ogival style, the porches adorned with fine sculptures from the middle of the 12th century, and the magnificent 12th- and 13th-century stained-glass windows, all in remarkable condition, combine to make it a masterpiece."
沙特尔大教堂

"沙特尔大教堂部分始建于1145年,1194年遭遇火灾,后历经26年重建方再现原貌,可谓法国哥特式建筑的颠峰之作。高 大的中殿呈纯粹的尖拱型,四周的门廊装饰着12世纪中叶的精美雕刻,再加上12世纪和13世纪光彩夺目的彩色玻璃,所有的这一切都是那么非凡卓越,堪称经 典杰作。"
Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/81
Courtesy of SLLiew postcrossing forum

1 EC - Galápagos Islands (1978)

Brief Description

Situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 km from the South American continent, these 19 islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique ‘living museum and showcase of evolution’. Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, the Galápagos are a ‘melting pot’ of marine species. Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflects the processes that formed the islands. These processes, together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual animal life – such as the land iguana, the giant tortoise and the many types of finch – that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection following his visit in 1835.

加拉帕戈斯群岛
群岛地处离南美大陆1000公里的太平洋上,由19个火山岛以及周围的海域组成,被人称作独一无二的“活的生物进化博物馆 和陈列室”。加拉帕戈斯群岛处于三大洋流的交汇处,是海洋生物的“大熔炉”。持续的地震和火山活动反映了群岛的形成过程。这些过程,加上群岛与世隔绝的地 理位置,促使群岛内进化出许多奇异的动物物种,例如陆生鬣蜥、巨龟和多种类型的雀类。1835年查尔斯·达尔文参观了这片岛屿后,从中得到感悟,进而提出 了著名的进化论。
Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1
Courtesy of MsMoney from postcrossing forum

Stamps issued by Royal mail for 150 Years of Darwin's "On the Origin of Species"

MX791 Uxmal postcard for swap

MX791 Pre-Hispanic Town of Uxmal (0 available)23/07/10 1 postcard on its way to caledonia1972 in exchange for GB387 - St Kilda (received)

Wednesday 21 April 2010

414 MX - Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan (1987)

Brief Description

"The holy city of Teotihuacan ('the place where the gods were created') is situated some 50 km north-east of Mexico City. Built between the 1st and 7th centuries A.D., it is characterized by the vast size of its monuments – in particular, the Temple of Quetzalcoatl and the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, laid out on geometric and symbolic principles. As one of the most powerful cultural centres in Mesoamerica, Teotihuacan extended its cultural and artistic influence throughout the region, and even beyond."

特奥蒂瓦坎
"圣城特奥蒂瓦坎(“众神诞生之地”)位于墨西哥城东北部50公里处,该城建于公元1世纪至7世纪,其建筑物按照几何图形和 象征意义布局,以建筑物(特别是羽蛇神庙、月亮金字塔和太阳金字塔)的庞大气势而闻名于世。作为中美洲最重要的文化中心之一,特奥蒂瓦坎的文化影响力和艺 术影响力遍及整个地区,在某些方面甚至超越了地域界限。"

Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/414
Courtesy of elbe from postcrossing forum

GB496 Canterbury Cathedral postcards for swap

GB496 - Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church (1988)

GB496-1 Canterbury Cathedral (0 available)
26/04/10 1 postcard on its way to MerJade (received) in exchange for SE871 - Naval Port of Karlskrona (Completed)
29/04/10 1 postcard on its way to Gigi (received) in exchange for ES318 - Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid (Completed)
01/09/10 1 postcard on its way to ossuusso (received) in exchange for IS1267 - Surtsey (Completed)

GB496-2 Canterbury Cathedral (0 available)
29/04/10 1 postcard on its way to Gigi (received) in exchange for ES383 - Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville (Completed)
03/08/10 1 postcard on its way to Asa in exchange for FR933 - The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes

GB496-3 Canterbury Cathedral (0 available)
30/08/10 1 postcard on its way to Diaboluke (received) in exchange for MT131 - City of Valletta (Completed)

GB496-4 Canterbury Cathedral (0 available)

09/08/10 1 postcard on its way to sternchen84 (received) in exchange for DE783 - Luther Memorials in Eisleben (Completed)

496 GB - Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church (1988)

Brief Description

"Canterbury, in Kent, has been the seat of the spiritual head of the Church of England for nearly five centuries. Canterbury's other important monuments are the modest Church of St Martin, the oldest church in England; the ruins of the Abbey of St Augustine, a reminder of the saint's evangelizing role in the Heptarchy from 597; and Christ Church Cathedral, a breathtaking mixture of Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic, where Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in 1170."

坎特伯雷大教堂、圣奥古斯汀教堂和圣马丁教堂
"位于肯特郡的坎特伯雷大教堂是近500年来英国大教堂的精神领袖,坎特伯雷的其他重要建筑有圣奥古斯汀教堂,它是英国最古 老的教堂之一;还有圣马丁教堂的遗迹,圣马丁教堂从公元597年就在基督教传教中担负着十分重要的角色,它巧妙地融合了罗马式风格和直角哥特式风格。贝克 特大主教于1170年在此地被暗杀。"

Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/496
Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury Cathedral interior

Courtesy of MissDaisy44 from flickr
St. Augustine's Abbey

Saturday 10 April 2010

822 EE - Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn (1997)

Brief Description

"The origins of Tallinn date back to the 13th century, when a castle was built there by the crusading knights of the Teutonic Order. It developed as a major centre of the Hanseatic League, and its wealth is demonstrated by the opulence of the public buildings (the churches in particular) and the domestic architecture of the merchants' houses, which have survived to a remarkable degree despite the ravages of fire and war in the intervening centuries."
塔林历史中心(老城)
"塔林的起源可追溯到13世纪,当时的条顿骑士团的十字军骑士们在这里建造了一个城堡, 后来,这里又发展成为汉斯同盟(Hanseatic League)的主要中心。在后来的几个世纪,这里屡遭战火,但许多建筑还是较为完好地保留了下来,公共建筑(特别是教堂)之豪华以及商店内部装璜之考究 充分展示了当时这里的繁荣和富裕。"
Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/822
Courtesy of katts1985 from postcrossing forum
Courtesy of katts1985 from postcrossing forum

Courtesy of iivikas33 from postcrossing

Courtesy of elbe from postcrossing forum
Courtesy of Ellaa from postcrossing forum

with matching stamp

 Courtesy of moonshade from postcrossin
 

97 HR - Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian (1979)

Brief Description

"The ruins of Diocletian's Palace, built between the late 3rd and the early 4th centuries A.D., can be found throughout the city. The cathedral was built in the Middle Ages, reusing materials from the ancient mausoleum. Twelfth- and 13th-century Romanesque churches, medieval fortifications, 15th-century Gothic palaces and other palaces in Renaissance and Baroque style make up the rest of the protected area."

斯普利特古建筑群及戴克里先宫殿

"戴克里先宫殿建造于公元3世纪末到4世纪初,其废墟在城中随处可见。天主大教堂是中世纪时期在古代陵墓基础上建造的。12 至13世纪的罗马式教堂、中世纪防御工事、15世纪的哥特式宫殿以及其他文艺复兴时期和巴洛克风格的宫殿构成了保护内区的其他景点。"

Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/97
Courtesy of smile4u from postcrossing


Courtesy of pierresurleciel from postcrossing forum
Diocletian's Palace

768 RU - Golden Mountains of Altai (1998)

Brief Description

"The Altai mountains in southern Siberia form the major mountain range in the western Siberia biogeographic region and provide the source of its greatest rivers – the Ob and the Irtysh. Three separate areas are inscribed: Altaisky Zapovednik and a buffer zone around Lake Teletskoye; Katunsky Zapovednik and a buffer zone around Mount Belukha; and the Ukok Quiet Zone on the Ukok plateau. The total area covers 1,611,457 ha. The region represents the most complete sequence of altitudinal vegetation zones in central Siberia, from steppe, forest-steppe, mixed forest, subalpine vegetation to alpine vegetation. The site is also an important habitat for endangered animal species such as the snow leopard."

金山-阿尔泰山
"位于西伯利亚南部的金山-阿尔泰山是西西伯利亚地理生态区的主要山脉,也是世界上最长的河流之一鄂毕湾的源头。总占地面积 为1 611 457公顷,列入《世界遗产名录》的有三个区域:阿尔泰司基扎波伏德尼克及傣勒茨克叶湖缓冲地带、卡顿司基扎波伏德尼克及贝露克哈湖缓冲地带 、吴郭高原上的吴郭静养区。该地区向世人展示了完整的中西伯利亚标高植被。其中包括无树大草原、森林-草原交错带、混交林、次高山植被、高山苔原等。它还 是雪豹等濒危物种重要的栖息地。"

Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/768
Courtesy of Poultry from postcrossing forum
Belukha mount
stamps shows another unesco site of Sikhote-Alin
Courtesy of Poultry from postcrossing forum
Ukok Plateau
Courtesy of Poncha from postcrossing forum

886 TM - State Historical and Cultural Park "Ancient Merv" (1999)

Brief Description

"Merv is the oldest and best-preserved of the oasis-cities along the Silk Route in Central Asia. The remains in this vast oasis span 4,000 years of human history. A number of monuments are still visible, particularly from the last two millennia."

梅尔夫历史与文化公园
"梅尔夫是中亚地区丝绸之路沿线最古老、保存最完好的绿洲城市。这片宽阔的绿洲横跨了4000年的人类历史,至今仍保留着许 多纪念性的建筑,尤其是过去2000年来的建筑。"
Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/886

Courtesy of elbe from postcrossing forum

1199 TM - Kunya-Urgench (2005)

Brief Description

"Kunya-Urgench is situated in north-western Turkmenistan, on the left bank of the Amu Daria River. Urgench was the capital of the Khorezm region, part of the Achaemenid Empire. The old town contains a series of monuments mainly from the 11th to 16th centuries, including a mosque, the gates of a caravanserai, fortresses, mausoleums and a 60-m high minaret. The monuments testify to outstanding achievements in architecture and craftsmanship whose influence reached Iran and Afghanistan, and later the architecture of the Mogul Empire of 16th-century India."

库尼亚-乌尔根奇
"库尼亚-乌尔根奇位于土库曼斯坦的西北部、阿母河的南面。乌尔根奇是阿契美尼德帝国统治下可兰次姆地区的首都。古镇拥有一 系列11-16世纪时期的纪念碑,包括一座清真寺、旅馆的门、堡垒、陵墓和一座尖塔。这些纪念碑展示了当时建筑和手工艺方面的卓越成就,其影响力波及伊 朗、阿富汗和16世纪印度的后期建筑。"
Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1199
Courtesy of elbe from postcrossing forum
Section 1: Turabek Khanum (17)

860 CZ - Gardens and Castle at Kroměříž (1998)

Brief Description

"Kroměříž stands on the site of an earlier ford across the River Morava, at the foot of the Chriby mountain range which dominates the central part of Moravia. The gardens and castle of Kroměříž are an exceptionally complete and well-preserved example of a European Baroque princely residence and its gardens."

克罗麦里兹花园和城堡

"克罗麦里兹坐落在横贯摩拉瓦河(the River Morava)的一处浅滩上,位于占据了摩拉维亚中心位置的赫日比山(Chriby mountain)山脚下。克罗麦里兹的花园和城堡是一处保存完好的欧洲巴洛克式的王族宅邸及花园的稀世典范。"

Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/860
Courtesy of Catty412 from postcrossing forum

150 US - Mammoth Cave National Park (1981)

Brief Description

"Mammoth Cave National Park, located in the state of Kentucky, has the world's largest network of natural caves and underground passageways, which are characteristic examples of limestone formations. The park and its underground network of more than 560 surveyed km of passageways are home to a varied flora and fauna, including a number of endangered species."

猛玛洞穴国家公园
"猛玛洞穴国家公园位于肯塔基州,是世界上最大的自然洞穴群和地下长廊,也是石灰岩地貌构成的典型代表。该国家公园及其地下 超过560公里的长廊为多种植物和动物提供了栖息地,其中包括许多濒危物种。"

Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/150

Courtesy of nhigh from postcrossing forum
Place of Origin postmark