Friday, 20 September 2019

Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region

This site used to be located only in Macedonia but this year was extended to Albania

Ohrid
This postcard was sent by Anita

Ohrid is a city in North Macedonia, the seat of Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the eighth-largest city in the country, with over 42,000 inhabitants as of 2002. Ohrid once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year, and has been referred to as a "Jerusalem of the Balkans". The city is rich in picturesque houses and monuments, and tourism is predominant. It is located southwest of Skopje, west of Resen and Bitola. In 1979 and in 1980 respectively, Ohrid and Lake Ohrid were accepted as Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. - in: wikipedia


Pogradec
This postcard was sent by Boris

Pogradec (definite Albanian formPogradeci) is a city and municipality in central Albania, situated on the shores of the Ohrid lake. The lake is one of Europe's deepest and oldest lakes. It is located in the County of Korçë.
This city is surrounded by hills on the southern and western side. The lake is in the eastern and northern side of the city. The highway linking to TiranaElbasan and Korçë passes through the city. It is located southeast of Elbasan, southwest of Ohrid in North Macedonia, north of Korçë and northwest of Florina in Greece. - in: wikipedia

Wednesday, 4 September 2019

Singapore Botanical Gardens

This is so far the only UNESCO World Heritage site of Singapore

Singapore Botanic Gardens - Bandstand

This postcard was sent by Yi Lin

The idea of a national garden in Singapore started in 1822 when Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore and a keen naturalist, developed the first "Botanical and Experimental Garden" at Fort Canning. - in the postcard


Singapore Botanic Garden
This postcard was sent by Jenn


Situated at the heart of the city of Singapore, the site demonstrates the evolution of a British tropical colonial botanic garden that has become a modern world-class scientific institution used for both conservation and education. The cultural landscape includes a rich variety of historic features, plantings and buildings that demonstrate the development of the garden since its creation in 1859. It has been an important centre for science, research and plant conservation, notably in connection with the cultivation of rubber plantations, in Southeast Asia since 1875. - in: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1483/

Monday, 2 September 2019

Heritage of Mercury. Almadén and Idrija

This property includes the mining sites of Almadén (Spain) and Idrija (Slovenia). Together they represent the two largest mercury mines in the world


Idrija
This postcard was sent by Stasa

Idrija is a town in western Slovenia. (...) It is located in the traditional region of the Slovenian Littoral and is in the Gorizia Statistical Region. It is notable for its mercury mine with stores and infrastructure, as well as miners' living quarters, and a miners' theatre.
Mercury was discovered in Idrija (known as Idria under Austrian rule) in the late 15th century (various sources cite 1490, 1492, and 1497). Mining operations were taken over by the government in 1580. The mineral idrialite, discovered here in 1832, is named after the town. - in: wikipedia


Almadén's Mine
This postcard was sent by Javier

Almadén is a town and municipality in the Spanish province of Ciudad Real.
The mercury deposits of Almadén account for the largest quantity of liquid mercury metal produced in the world. Approximately 250,000 metric tons of mercury have been produced there in the past 2,000 years.
Almaden mine stopped working in 2002, due to the prohibition of mercury mining in Europe. In 2006, the mine opened to the public, who can visit the first level, 50 meters underground. - in: wikipedia

Risco Caido and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria Cultural Landscape

Risco Caído comprises a vast area of cliffs, ravines and volcanic formations 

Tejeda Valley
This postcard was sent by Javier

Tejeda is a village and a municipality in the mountainous central part of the island of Gran Canaria in the province of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.
The south-eastern part of its territory includes the second highest point of Gran Canaria island, Pico de las Nieves ("Snows Peak") - 1,949 m (6,394 ft). Other remarkable summits in the municipality are Roque Nublo ("Cloud Rock") 813 m (2,667 ft) and Roque Bentayga ("Bentayga Rock") with its ritual place (almogarén) and other features. Close by are the cuevas del Rey ("the King's caves", 1 km to the west of Rock Bentayga), an antique cave housevillage with granaries; and 2 km further west the antique cave house village of Acusa Seca. All these sites are listed Spanish Heritage as Properties of cultural interest ("Bien de Interés Cultural").
The village of Tejeda sits on the eastern edge of a volcanic basin or crater that bears its name (caldera de Tejeda) - in: wikipedia