Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty

40 tombs of members of the Korean Joseon Dynasty  are scattered in over 18 locations across South Korea. I only have one postcard of one of them.

Sungneung - Tomb of Hyeonjong

This postcard was sent by Jennifer

The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty form a collection of 40 tombs scattered over 18 locations. Built over five centuries, from 1408 to 1966, the tombs honoured the memory of ancestors, showed respect for their achievements, asserted royal authority, protected ancestral spirits from evil and provided protection from vandalism. Spots of outstanding natural beauty were chosen for the tombs which typically have their back protected by a hill as they face south toward water and, ideally, layers of mountain ridges in the distance. Alongside the burial area, the royal tombs feature a ceremonial area and an entrance. In addition to the burial mounds, associated buildings that are an integral part of the tombs include a T-shaped wooden shrine, a shed for stele, a royal kitchen and a guards’ house, a red-spiked gate and the tomb keeper’s house. The grounds are adorned on the outside with a range of stone objects including figures of people and animals. The Joseon Tombs completes the 5,000 year history of royal tombs architecture in the Korean peninsula. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1319/

Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites

Korea is said to contain more than 40% of the world's dolmen, which are mostly concentrated in these three sites. I have a postcard of one of them.

Gochang Dolmen Site

This postcard was sent by Jennifer

The Gochang Dolmen Site (8.38 ha) features the largest and most diversified group, and is centered in the village of Maesan, along the southern foot of a group of hills running east/west. Over 440 dolmens of various types have been recorded in this location. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/977/

Hwaseong Fortress

The story behind this fortress is kind of creepy . It was built by King Jeongjo  to house and honor the remains of his father who was executed by order of his own father, the previous king, by being confined in a rice chest where he died of starvation.

Hwaseong Fortress

This postcard was sent by Jennifer

Hwaseong is a piled-stone and brick fortress of the Joseon Dynasty that surrounds the centre of Suwon City, of Gyeonggi-do Province. It was built in the late 18th century by King Jeongjo for defensive purposes, to form a new political basis and to house the remains of his father, Crown Prince Jangheon. The massive walls of the fortress, which are 5.74 km in length, enclose an area of 130 ha and follow the topography of the land. The Suwoncheon, the main stream in Suwon, flows through the centre of the fortress. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/817

Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu

This site comprises the temple, the cemetery, the family mansion of Confucius and over 100 other buildings

Temple of Confucius in Qufu

This postcard was sent by Ning

The Temple of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong Province, is the largest and most renowned temple of Confucius in East Asia.

The temple complex is among the largest in China, it covers an area of 16,000 square metres and has a total of 460 rooms. Because the last major redesign following the fire in 1499 took place shortly after the building of the Forbidden City in the Ming Dynasty, the architecture of the Temple of Confucius resembles that of the Forbidden City in many ways. - in: wikipedia

Old Town of Lijiang

This town was once a confluence for trade along the "Old Tea Horse Caravan Trail" and  is famous for its ancient water-supply system

Old Town of Lijiang

This postcard was sent by San-Aiolia

The Old Town of Lijiang, which is perfectly adapted to the uneven topography of this key commercial and strategic site, has retained a historic townscape of high quality and authenticity. Its architecture is noteworthy for the blending of elements from several cultures that have come together over many centuries. Lijiang also possesses an ancient water-supply system of great complexity and ingenuity that still functions effectively today. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/811/

Fatehpur Sikri

I hate when postcards have mistakes. This postcard is identify as showing Buland Darwaza, the highest gateway in the world, but in fact shows Jama Masjid, a 17th-century mosque. The gate is part of the mosque but is not shown in the postcard. Fortunately, is part of Fatehpur Sikri anyway.

Jama Masjid

This postcard was sent by Prashanth

The Jama Masjid (Friday Mosque), a.k.a. Jami Masjid, is a 17th-century mosque in the World Heritage Site of Fatehpur Sikri in India. The mosque was built in 1648 by Emperor Shah Jahan and dedicated to his loving daughter, Jahanara Begum. The mosque also known as the "Friday Mosque" is one of the largest mosques in India and is a most sought after pilgrimage site by the devotees. - in: wikipedia

Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya

This is one of the earliest Buddhist temples built entirely in brick and is one of the four holy sites related to the life of the Lord Buddha

Mahabodhi Temple

The Mahabodhi Temple (literally: "Great Awakening Temple"), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an ancient, but much rebuilt and restored, Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya, marking the location where the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment.

What is now visible on the ground essentially dates from the 7th century CE, or perhaps somewhat earlier, as well as several major restorations since the 19th century. But the structure now may well incorporate large parts of earlier work, possibly from the 2nd or 3rd century CE.

The temple complex includes two large straight-sided shikhara towers, the largest over 55 metres (180 feet) high. This is a stylistic feature that has continued in Jain and Hindu temples to the present day, and influenced Buddhist architecture in other countries, in forms like the pagoda. - in: wikipedia